Destiny
by KarleighAnn
Summary: What happens when the Cullen's AND the wolves have to leave for a while leaving Bella all alone, once again. Her cousin comes for a visit and she learns a dark secret about her family. How will she cope? R&R
1. Chapter 1

_What happens when the Cullen's AND the wolves have to leave for a while leaving Bella all alone, once again. Her cousin comes for a visit and she learns a dark secret about her family. How will she cope?  
_ **  
This story takes place a few months after Bella, Alice, and Edward return from Italy. After returning from Italy, they go back to their everyday lives by going to school. Charlie had grounded Bella and will get over it this first chapter. ;)**

 **For this story, neither Eclipse nor Breaking Dawn ever happened. *Disclaimer* I will only say this once and only once. I will not post it in any other chapter. I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT. ALL TWILIGHT RIGHTS BELONG TO STEPHANIE MEYER. THE STORY LINE IS ALL MINE!**

 _I just want to thank my loyal readers for sticking with me along this bumpy road. I've had so much go on in my life and it's hard to work full time while going to school full time. If you've read this story before, you'll see a lot of changes. I'm planning on keeping the same characters but wanted to mix up the storyline a bit. That's where my brainstorming lead me too on all of my lunch breaks. I really hope y'all like the rewrite!_

 **Also, don't forget to Read and Review!**

Chapter 1)

Sighing, I lay my book on my bed. I'm reading the words, but not actually _reading_ the book. My mind was going a hundred miles a minute. It's hard to focus. Why is it so hard to focus? _Of course, Edward._ I roll my eyes.

I've been trying to read this book since this afternoon. Charlie picked me up a book he thought I would enjoy while he was in Port Angeles last weekend. Thinking about Edward threw me off balance. He, along with his family, did not show up for school  
today. It wasn't a sunny day, so the only other explanation was that they were out hunting. That had to be it, right?

When I returned from Italy, Charlie forbade me from seeing the Cullen's. I understood completely. It was stupid of me to just run off after a family that hurt me. But Edward was in trouble and he would not have understood. Even though I was eighteen and  
left a note, I made him worry himself to the point he collapsed. I came home to him in the hospital because he thought I was running away, even though I said I would be back. That night scared me.

 _*Flashback*_

 _I slowly opened my eyes to the hushed whispers of Alice and Edward. As soon as they realized I was awake they became silent. I sat up slowly in my seat and stretched as best as I could in the small back seat. Looking around, I noticed we were in the hospital parking lot._

" _What are we doing here?" I asked Alice since she was the driver._

" _Nothing, love. We came to see Carlisle." Edward replied without giving Alice a chance to._

 _Ignoring Edward, I focused my attention to Alice. "Alice, why are we here?" I tried again._

 _I heard Edward groan before Alice muttered, "She'll find out soon enough." She turned the car off and faced me from her seat. "Bella, Charlie is here."_

 _That was all I needed to know before my eyes grew wide and I threw my seatbelt off. I flew out of the backseat and headed for the hospital doors. Running down the halls, I reached the nurse's desk out of breath. "Where's my dad? What room?" I hurried out._

" _Floor 2. Room 226."_

 _I pushed off the desk and headed for the elevators. I hadn't even realized Edward and Alice were next to me again until one of them pressed the up button. I glanced at them and nodded my thanks._

 _When I got to Charlie's room, I hesitated with either knocking or entering. I went with the later in case he was sleeping. I opened the door quietly not wanting to disturb him and peeked in. Charlie's brown eyes met mine. I gulped and pushed the door open some more._

" _Bella," he sighed in relief._

 _I moved in slowly not worrying about closing the door. I came next to him and threw myself at him. My arms circled his neck and I squeezed. "Are-" I didn't even get to ask my question before I felt him get tense. I glanced up and noticed his clenched jaw and red face._

" _Out!" He growled. I stumbled back a bit confused._ Had I gone too far by leaving? " _Not you._ Them." _He spat._

 _I looked behind me to find Alice and Edward standing in the doorway. Alice had hurt written all over her face while Edward held understanding. "Leave. You've caused enough damage." Charlie finished before turning his head away from them. I heard the door close behind me as I stared at Charlie._

 _*End Flashback*_

When Charlie got out of the hospital and realized the Cullen's would be back for good, he put his foot down. That was when he refused to let me see the Cullen's outside of school. He knew he couldn't stop me at school. But with Alice always stopping by  
when Charlie was home and sweet talking him, it soon it turned into just Edward being banned. That didn't stop him at night though. He would still come through my window and lay next to me in bed. Last night he stayed the night, but was gone before  
I woke up.

It was this morning that Charlie informed me he was lifting his ban on Edward. After a month of being grounded, which he made clear he wanted longer but Renee chewed him out, I was finally allowed to have Edward over at the house after school or go out  
with him. But the catch, my curfew was nine o'clock. Not a minute later.

I glanced at my phone on the nightstand, the phone Charlie finally gave back to me before heading to work. I bit my lip in hesitation, wondering if I should try giving him a call. After thinking about it for a second, I reached over.

Picking up the phone, I scrolled to 'E' and clicked on his name. It began to ring which made my heart race in anticipation. My brows furrowed as it kept ringing. Finally it went to voicemail and left me in shock. I would think if his phone was ringing,  
he'd answer it or at least look at it. And if he'd look at it he would see it was me and realize something was up. My brows furrowed together in confusion as I hung up and lay my phone back on the night stand.

I groan as I roll onto my back and turn back to the beginning of the book. Maybe actually trying to focus will make time go faster. And if Edward _is_ hunting, he'll see my missed call and return it.

" _The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few feet of rock and began to pick his way toward the lagoon. Though he had taken off his school sweater and trailed it now from one hand, his grey shirt stuck to him and his hair was plastered to his forehead. All round him the long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat. He was clambering heavily among the creepers and broken trunks when a bird, a vision of red and yellow, flashed upwards with a witch-like cry; and this cry was echoed by another."_

I read the first paragraph over and over trying to get myself to focus, but it was no use. I stand up and toss the book onto my pillow. Growling to myself, I stalk over to my sneakers and pull them on. I'll just head to Edward's. Alice will see and tell  
him. He'll just meet me there when he's done.

Heading down the stairs carefully so I don't trip myself, I make my way into the kitchen and grab the sticky note. _Heading to Edward's. Be back by 9. Leftovers in the fridge,_ I left for Charlie. Hopefully he doesn't manage to burn the house down  
by reheating the damn food.

 _ **~*~Destiny~*~**_

After driving the fifteen minutes to their house, I pull into their slender driveway. I park in front of their garage and cut my engine. Getting out of my truck, I head up the porch. I let myself in and head to the living room. I flop onto the couch to  
make myself comfortable. Leaning my head back in relaxation, I unintentionally drift off to sleep.

 _ **~*~Destiny~*~**_

When I wake up, I can already tell it's dark outside. Confused, I glance down at my phone; eight-oh-seven. I was here for over four hours. Edward would have been back by now. I'm sure that Alice would have seen me here waiting and sent him back. Since  
returning from Italy, the family hasn't been going on their family camping trips where they are gone for days at a time. They've been sticking to the area.

I heave myself off the couch while opening my recent call log again. I click on Edward's name as I bring myself to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the forest.

After two rings, he answers. "Bella?" Edward asks confused.

"Where are you? Hunting?" I ask not giving a second for him to comprehend or for me to answer that it was me.

"Uh, no. I'm not hunting. I'm at home."

* * *

I wonder if any of you know what book Bella is reading? This was one of my favorites in High School

-KarleighAnn.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas. This is my gift to you wonderful readers. However, if you don't celebrate Christmas, then Happy Holidays to you!**_

 _ **-KarleighAnn.**_

* * *

Chapter 2)

Pain shot right through my heart as he said that. _I'm at home._ He's lying which makes me cringe and place my hand over my heart. _I_ am at his home.

"Home? Are you sure about that? 'Cause I'm sure I've been here for a few hours and haven't seen anyone…" I trail off.

The silence coming from him and the lie he told, tells me Alice didn't see me coming here. He never got a warning. So if he's not hunting and he's not at home, where is he? I grip the phone in my hand waiting for a reply from him. I never received ananswer;  
instead I was asked a question in return.

"I thought you were grounded?"

"I was. Charlie lifted it this morning. You would have known if you were at school today. Now, where are you?" I spat through my teeth. I clutched the phone harder in my hand. My knuckles were probably white. I was getting pissed and fast.

"I'm, um," he hesitates before continuing. "In Alaska," he finishes softly.

"And why are you in Alaska?" I question.

I hear shuffling and a door close. "I'm at the Denali's place. We are helping them with a nomad issue."

"Alright, when do you expect to be home?"

"In two days."

I scoff. "Were you even planning on telling me?"

"Yes, love, I was going to run back to Forks tonight and come see you to let you know."

Sighing, I shift my phone to the other ear. What if he's just saying that so I won't stay mad at him. I shake my head. No he wouldn't do that. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Be careful. And make sure you call me now that I have my phone. You don't have to waste your time coming home to spend the night with me. You staying there will give you guys extra time to come up with a plan. Just don't lie to me again. I love you."

"Love, I really don't mind coming home. I-" I hung up on Edward before he could finish what he was saying. I curled up on the Cullen's couch and closed my eyes.

 _ **~*~Destiny~*~**_

When I woke up, it was dark out. Finding the clock on the wall, it read nine thirty-two. I panicked as I shot up right. _Shit! Charlie will kill me for sure!_ I grabbed my phone and ran out the front door already pulling my keys out of my pocket.  
As I got in the car, I felt my phone vibrate.

 ** _Alice:_** _I saw you asleep on the couch and already had Esme call Charlie earlier. She smooth talked him as always. He won't be mad._

Smiling softly, I locked my phone and started the car. I put my seatbelt on and made my way back to the house in a calmer matter

 _ **~*~Destiny~*~**_

I walked in the front door to find the sounds of ESPN and Charlie's soft snoring. I locked the front door behind me and went to the kitchen. I rolled my eyes when I found a pizza box on the stove. _I clearly told him there were leftovers in the fridge._ Grabbing  
the aluminum foil out of the drawer, I picked up the last few pieces of pizza and wrapped them up. I placed them in the fridge and put the empty box on top of the trashcan. I figure Charlie will take it out in the morning before going to work.

I took the leftovers out and popped them into the microwave. When they were done, I grabbed a fork and plopped down at the kitchen table. I ate slowly while I thought about the situation with Edward. It has to be really bad in order for the Cullen's to  
just rush there. I wonder if it gets bad enough, if Carlisle will ask the wolves for help? I doubt it though, seeing as how Jacob is pissed off I went after Edward. He most likely has the pack holding a grudge. But the Cullen's can handle themselves.  
It wouldn't even come down to asking the wolves.

Finishing my food, I placed the empty plate in the sink and began to clean it. I wonder if I'd be helpful to the Cullen's once I become like one of them. Didn't Emmett tell me newborns are very strong? Wouldn't that be an advantage to them. But Jasper  
said they are bloodthirsty and it controls them. I wouldn't be able to have coherent thoughts let alone focus on fighting another vampire. I sigh and head upstairs to get ready for bed.

 _ **~*~Destiny~*~**_

The next morning I woke up without an alarm. That was the best thing about Saturdays. I got out of bed and stretched before heading downstairs. I was shocked to find Charlie still home and in the kitchen. Maybe Alice was wrong and he _is_ mad about  
last night. "Morning, dad." I say quietly as I open the cupboard and grab a poptart.

"Morning, Bells." He said as he glanced over his newspaper. "Esme called last night as I'm sure you know. Don't worry about it, kiddo. I'm sorry you got your, um," he cleared his throat, seemingly embarrassed. "time of the month. Esme said you had to  
wait for your clothes to get done in the wash."

I bit my cheek and nod. "Yeah. It really sucked, dad. I felt so horrible because I got blood on their white couch. Alice wouldn't even let me try to clean it. She just shoved me in the bathroom with a pair of Esme's clothes." I lie hoping it sounds convincing.  
Lying has never been a strong suit for me.

Charlie just grunts and stares back at his paper. "I get it. I-I don't mean that I get it. I just mean that-"

I laugh quietly into my hand. "Dad, I understand what you are trying to say."

"Oh, okay. Good." Charlie slowly gets up. "Well time for me to head out to Billy's. I took the day off to go fishing with the old man. I assume you'll be home around nine tonight? Heading back to the Cullen's?"

I play with my piece of Pop Tart. "Actually, Edward called me before I came down. They are going out of town and-"

Charlie turned to me fast. "Out of town? You mean leaving you again?" He questions.

I throw my Pop Tart onto the counter and wave my hands in front of me. "No, no, no. They aren't leaving for good. They just are going to visit a sick family member in Alaska. She's not doing too well." I counter.

He scoffs and reaches for his travel coffee mug. "Well, then I hope their family member gets better soon. We don't need to have you turn back into a zombie again." Charlie tries to joke lightly, but I can see the pain in his eyes. I wince knowing that  
I am the cause to his pain. "Anyway, you have fun, kiddo. Make sure you go out and hang out with Angela or someone."

I smile softly. "Actually that's not a bad idea. Maybe I'll come with you and I'll hang out with Jake." _That is if he'd want to hang with me. I have no clue what is going on in his mind anymore._

* * *

 _ **Don't forget to Review! Hope you guys are liking this so far. I hope I'm not making a mistake by rewriting it.**_


	3. Chapter 3

I'm so happy you guys are enjoying the rewrite. I was hoping to see a few more reviews, but the ones I received are plenty enough. There was a question asked that I feel needs to be answered for the rest of you. At first I didn't want to answer it because I felt like it would show as to why I went about it the way I did, but then again, I'm worried people wouldn't understand.

 _Q:_ _Don't know why Edward would be like this. Not show at school and not answer his phone then lie when he did. Not sure if this story will be similar to your previous version. And how would Alice not see this would really hurt Bella._

 _A: Edward is like this because of all of the danger he has already put her through. When he came back from Italy, he realized that he can't live without her but he also can't keep her in danger. This is why he is being the way he is. When the issue in Denali surfaced, Edward decided with the family they would go and quickly sort it out (but it won't be as quick as they want). He ignored the phone call because first, he was confused as to why she was calling him since he knew she was grounded. He thought it was a mistake, seeing as how Charlie was dead set on keeping her grounded. Once he realized it was Bella, he lied because he knew he couldn't meet at her at school, but what he didn't realize is was the time. So he said the first thing that came to mind. He was at home. Alice didn't see Bella because her family genes are starting to slowly show. It will become more intense as time goes on, but Bella doesn't notice._

So that's it. I hope this answers some questions a few of you may have.

* * *

Chapter 3)

Pulling up at the Black's house, my heart was almost beating out of my chest. What if he doesn't want to hang? I won't make Charlie take me all the way home. I guess I could just walk home. How long would that even take? Sighing, I open my door after Charlie parks and step out of the cruiser.

Billy was already waiting on his porch for Charlie. His fishing gear propped up against the door of the house. Billy and I made eye contact and he nudged his head to the side. Indicating that Jacob was in his garage. His little haven. Gulping, I head in that direction slowly.

I knocked softly on the metal door and took a deep breath.

"What the hell did I say about bothering me?" He pretty much shouted. I shrunk back a bit. "I mean, what the hell is the point of having a day off?" Jacob says harshly as he opens the door. He freezes when he takes in the sight of me. "Bella," comes whispered out of his mouth.

I look down at my feet while rubbing my hand up and down my left arm. "Uh, hi." I said softly.

"W-what are you doing here?"

"Charlie and your dad are going fishing. I figured I'd tag along to come see you and-"

"What? Finally sick and tired of the Cullen's?" He spits out.

I wince. "No. I just thought that, uh, we could talk and fix things. And you know, um, maybe hang out like old times." I mumble while looking down. I dare not look at him. Who knows what kind of face he is making at me. He's most likely staring daggers. I know we didn't part on the best note. We were in my kitchen when Alice burst in frantically to tell me that Edward was heading to Italy. I was already angry with him for not handing me the phone when he realized it was Edward. And he was angry with me for going with Alice. Finally, I chance a look up.

I'm shocked to find him looking at me with a soft expression. He opens the door wider and steps to the side. I smile softly and step in. When he closes the door behind me, he wraps me up in one of his big bear hugs. I sigh in content and hug him back. "I was so scared we wouldn't be friends anymore." I whispered into his shoulder.

"I was too. I didn't want to be angry with you, but you just up and left," he mumbles. "You went after _him_. After everything I've been doing for you. I was there for you and he wasn't. You went with the enemy."

I stare past his shoulder. "You're right. You were there for me. But you wanted something more. I… Jake, I couldn't be that for you. I still loved, love, Edward. I couldn't not go save him. He's saved me before, so I had to return the favor. And he is not the enemy. Maybe to you he is, but to me, you are both equal in my eyes. No one is an enemy to me," I admit.

But it is true. Edward did save me. He sucked the venom out when James bit me. He was able to get me to a hospital before I bled out. He was my own personal superhero. Why couldn't I be his for a chance?

Sighing, I look back over at Jacob. He's sitting again, in front of his Rabbit, but looking at me. "Am I to assume, you're back together with him?"

"Yes," I reply. "Since we've been back. I just haven't seen him as much, do to Charlie's punishment."

Jacob chuckles. "Then, I should thank Charlie for keeping you away for at least a little bit." But then his face turns sour, "You're going to try to become one of them aren't you?"

"Jacob, let's not have this conversation right now."

"But you don't deny it." He says as he steps back. He was shaking slightly.

"I don't, but I don't admit it either," I say while kicking the dirt.

"Fuck that. I'd rather you'd be dead than one of them," he spits through clenched teeth.

Gasping, I back into the closed door. "How could you say something like that…" I whisper hurt. I spin on my heels and fumble with the handle. Once I get the door open, I rush outside while tears well in my eyes. I scrub at my face and look around. Charlie was already gone which means I'd have to walk home.

I head towards the road. _I can't believe he said that._ I wrap my arms around myself as I turn onto the main road. I guess we can't make up after all. A small sob makes its way up my throat and out of my mouth. I throw my hand up to muffle my small sobs.

Walking down the side of the road, I get a few curious stares. A pale face walking down the street while crying. I must be a wonderful sight to behold. I shake my head while scrubbing at my face yet again. With just my luck, the heavens open up and begins pouring on me. Fuck, you Mother Nature.

"Bella!" I hear from the distance.

I look behind me to find a half naked Seth running towards me. "Bella? What are you doing out here in the rain?"

"I could ask you the same." I continue walking ahead.

Seth jogs in front of me and stops, making me do so in the process. "Its obvious as to why I am out here. But you? Why are you out in La Push walking in the rain?"

I ignore his question and walk around him.

"It was Jake. Wasn't it?" I flinch but keep walking. "I knew it," he whispers. Picking back up his pace, he's beside me again. "What-"

Before Seth could continue, the Rabbit pulls up beside us. I can feel myself rolling my eyes. "Bella. Get in the car," Jake rough voice says. I ignore him as well while I continue down the street. "Dammit, Bells. You're gonna catch a cold in this rain!" He yells.

Snapping, I turn to him. "But it'd make it easier for you. Would it not? Maybe I'll die from it and you won't have to worry about me anymore."

Seth gasps but Jacob looks down. "Bells, I didn't mean it."

I scuff. "Of course you didn't. And I didn't mean to come here, hoping to fix our friendship."

"Jake, you didn't. Tell me you didn't tell her you'd rather her dead," Seth asks in a sad voice.

Silence followed. "Come on, Bella. You can come to my house and dry off. I'm sure Leah wouldn't mind driving you home. As for you Jake, I think it's best you go," Seth whispers the last part. His young self does not match his older brain. He places his hand on mine and tugs.

Glancing at Jacob, I find him staring down at his hands. He looks so hurt, but then again so am I. Anger soars in me, yet again, for him making me cry like that. For hurting me the way he did. Following after Seth, I feel this weird feeling sweep through me. _What is this feeling?_


	4. Chapter 4

Heey guys! If you read my other stories then you know that I'm slowly coming back since the death in my family. I've been drawing and writing some more which is really helping. I'm happy to be back with you all and I'm also grateful for all the condolences and patience you've all had with me. I hope the wait was well worth it because here is a new chapter for you all to enjoy!

-KarleighAnn

* * *

Chapter 4)

As fast as the feeling came, it left. I walk beside Seth in silence.

"Bella, you know he didn't mean it, right?" Seth asks after a couple minutes.

"Yeah, of course he didn't," I mumble. Seth sighs and continues walking. After turning off the main road, we head down a smaller one. Within a few minutes, we arrive at a small house I assume is Seth's.

Walking up the steps, Seth leads us inside. "Leah? You home?"

"No, brother, I'm out partying," comes Leah's sarcastic reply. When we come around the corner she stops what she's doing and turns to me. "What is she doing here?" She spits out through clenched teeth.

"Ahh, well you see," Seth begins while rubbing the back of his neck. _Nervous habit?_

Instead of having him in an awkward position, I look over at Leah and decide to tell her myself. "Jake told me he'd rather me dead. So I walked away from his house and ran into Seth," I say with all emotion void from my voice. Saying it makes me feel numb. _He didn't mean it, Bella. He said so,_ I think to myself.

Leah gasps and whispers to herself, "he didn't." She makes eye contact with me. "No matter what the circumstances are, you never tell someone that you wish them dead. I don't like you, so to say, but that is uncalled for."

"Leah, I was wondering if you'd drive Bella home?" Seth asks.

"Of course. Let me grab my keys," she says as she scampers off into her room.

I awkwardly stand in the living room. How did it come to be like this? Maybe I shouldn't come to La Push anymore. I'm just a burden to everyone here. Jake doesn't want me around. It's clear that Leah doesn't like me; she's probably only tolerating me because of Seth and what Jake said to me. If it wasn't for that, I'm sure I wouldn't even cross her mind. Once I get home, I won't bother the people of La Push anymore. I'll stay away and allow them to live their own lives. _That should be easy right?_

Leah comes back in the room and dangles her keys. "Ready to go?" All I do is nod and follow her out to her truck.

* * *

After we're settled on the road and heading to Forks, Leah begins talking. "You know, I shouldn't say I hate you, because I don't. I just don't like the fact that you can mess Jacob up so bad. He loves you, you know? And he's my brother now because of this pack, so we all feel when he's hurting."

Sighing, I look out the window. "I don't mean to hurt him, Leah. Ever since we were kids, I saw him as a brother and a best friend. I never thought of him as anything more. I get why it's difficult to understand my love for Edward, with you being enemies and all."

"Difficult? Why don't you explain it for me."

"You see, Edward was the first guy that ever interested me. When we first met at Forks High, I knew there was something different about him. He disappeared for a bit and then reappeared with a whole new demeanor. Whenever we talked, he was always trying to push me away. I heard the stories of the Cullen's being all alone and no friends beside themselves, and I guess that upset me. I knew what it was like being a loner because of my time in Arizona. It made me more interested in becoming friends. Then he saved my life and-"

Leah slammed on the break and let out a scream as my hands clutch my seat. She mumbles an apology and pulls over on the side of the road. "What do you mean he saved your life? How?"

Letting go of the seat from where I was clutching it, I shift to face Leah. "Edward saved me on multiple different occasions. First was when my classmate's van hit a patch of ice in the parking lot and barreled straight for me. Edward risked exposure by running to me and stopping the van from smashing second time he saved me was when I was in Port Angeles with friends. I broke off from them to go to a bookstore. It got really dark before I knew it and got turned around a bit. Eventually I realized where I was and took a shortcut through an alley. Stupid choice since there were drunks waiting for me. Edward heard them in his mind and recognized me. Came and saved me from almost being raped.

"Another time he save me was right after we got together as a couple. I was getting to know his family more by checking out one of their favorite hobbies- baseball. After a while of them playing, a group of human drinking vampires stumbled upon their game. They wanted to join the game but their leader decided he wanted my blood for himself. This resulted in me running away from Charlie in order to keep him out of harm's way. Edward and most of his family decided to lead the guy away while his sister, Alice, and her mate, Jasper, took me away for safety. But the vampire was too smart. He found out that they were leading a false trail and found out where I'd be going. He pretended to kidnap my mom and lured me away from the two Cullen's watching me." Tears formed in my eyes as I remember back to that day. The pain from everything I experienced brought back by the memory. I start tracing the scar on my wrist caused by James.

"The vampire did a lot of damage. He snapped my leg and threw me across the room. I flew into a mirror, which broke and opened my leg. He also gave me a concussion and when Edward arrived, the vampire made sure to bite me." I heard Leah's intake of breath. Before she could start questioning me, I continue. "Edward saved me yet again. While I was losing a lot of blood, his father tried to slow it. I was beginning to turn into a vampire. Edward risked his bloodlust and sucked the venom out. It's the only reason I'm still human. He doesn't want me to become like one of them. He wants me to stay human and have a human life."

I move my wrist towards Leah, so she could see the scar left from James. I look over at her as she takes my wrist in her hands. "That's why you always have a hint of vampire scent to you. I always thought it was because you hung around with them that their scent rubbed off on you. But I was wrong. And I was also wrong to think of the Cullen's as nothing but monsters. They really care for you, not just your blood. Those times he saved you, it's obvious why you say you love him. He's like your own personal superhero."

A small smile graces my lips. Yeah, I guess you could say that. Edward was my superhero. That could be why I love him so much. I decide to keep my mouth shut about the other time Edward saved me in Volterra. The pack doesn't need to know just yet how he managed to save me there. I'll have to become a vampire in order to escape the death they wanted for me. I'm not too sure how Leah would deal with that news.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you before. I understand now, why you love Edward. Even though he is a _leech_ \- sorry, I mean vampire, I can see where the love comes from. You got to know him as how he is, with no secrets to hold you two back."

I glance over at Leah. "Yeah, that helped us a lot. Being able to stay secret free." I pause thinking about how Edward was secretive about Denali but pushed the thought away since he came clean once we talked. "I know who he is as a person and I know what he is as the supernatural. He doesn't want to hurt me, he's come accustomed to my scent and he is on the same page as his feelings. His feelings overweigh the need for my blood. It also helps that we are mates."

"Mates?" Leah questions.

"Oh, yeah I forgot you guys don't know what mates are like for vampires. I've heard about imprinting from Jacob. And the best way to describe mating is to compare it to imprinting. Pretty much a vampire mates for life with one person. They don't choose their mate, there's someone out there for them. When they find them, they'll know. Once their mated, it's only that person for him or her, no one else matters. When Edward left me, he did it so I could have a human life without him. What we didn't know was how much both of us would suffer. I was left as a shell of myself who was pining after him and he was left in a depression that kept him away from his family."

"Just like imprinting," Leah whispers to herself. She puts the truck into drive again and pulls out onto the road. "Sorry I stopped like that. I guess I just wanted to learn more. Let's get you home now."

"It's okay," I wave her off. "I didn't mind. It was kind of nice being able to tell someone."

"My ex-boyfriend, Sam Uley, imprinted on my cousin. I didn't understand at first because I didn't know about all the legends until I phased. I was very confused and bitter. Once I phased and I learned of everything, I was pissed that I wasn't the one Sam imprinted with because we were together for many years. But the way you described mating to imprinting and learning about your love for Edward, I can understand what it was Sam went through. He didn't have a choice and he can't fight it, or else it will just hurt them both." Leah states as we pull onto my street.

When we get to my house, Leah parks on the side of the road. "I'm sorry that happened between you and Sam. I do hope you can find happiness." Hesitating with my hand on the handle, I face Leah. "Do you think we could be friends?" I ask.

A smile breaks across Leah's lips. "I would love to be friends."

After Leah and I exchanged phone numbers, I went inside my house. I begin making dinner for when Charlie gets home. I smile as I think about what I told Leah. It's great to have someone to talk to who isn't Alice. Don't get me wrong, Alice is great. But after a while, it sucks that she already knows the conversation before it's even said among us.

Turning on the stove, I place the largest pan on it. I pour a little bit of oil into the pan and start laying out the steaks for dinner. Adding some salt and pepper, I allow the steak to cook while I move to the laundry and start it. Heading back to the kitchen, I hum to myself as I prep a salad to go with dinner.

* * *

It's five o'clock when I hear Charlie's cruiser pull up. I'm sitting in the living room watching television when he walks in the door. "Your plate is in the fridge. Just pop it in the microwave for a few minutes and it should be warm enough. There's salad too, in case you'd like some." I state as I pick up the remote and flip it back to ESPN for Charlie.

"Ah, thanks. You didn't have to cook, Bells. We could have ordered a pizza." He says as he hands up his jacket and holster.

"I love cooking. Remember, dad?"

Charlie chuckles and heads to the kitchen. "Yeah, yeah," I hear him mumble as the fridge gets opened. The plate clanks against the microwaves glass and the door gets shut. The beeping tells me he selected his time and started it.

After a few minutes, he joins me on the couch. "You could have left your channel on." Charlie begins shoveling the food into his mouth. "Hey, by the way, how did you get home? You weren't there when I got back to Billy's and Jake seemed upset."

I feel myself tense. "Jacob said something that upset me. So I decided to walk home. But I ended up running into Seth and Leah Clearwater. They offered me a ride home."

"Oh, well that's nice of them."

I tune Charlie out when I feel anger surge through me. My hands shake slightly. Thinking about Jacob and his reaction earlier really pisses me off. How dare he say those things to me. It doesn't help the fact that I'm also mad at Edward for lying to me. My stomach does flips as I grow angrier. Balling my hands into fists, I set them on my lap and take a deep breath.

I stand up abruptly and turn to Charlie. "I think I'm going to go lay down. I'm not feeling too well."

"Alright, feel better and sleep tight." He replies while taking a sip of his beer.

"Goodnight," I mumble as I head to the stairs. Before I can get to the first step, the doorbell rings. Furrowing my brows I turn towards the door. "I got it, dad." I'm hoping it isn't Jake. I don't really feel like dealing with him right now. Much to my surprise when I open the door, I stare into the sharp crystal blue eyes I have missed for so long.

"Bella Bear, it's been to long!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5)

Am I hallucinating now? I stood there gaping like a fish. I couldn't seem to form words. I was so shocked. It's been years since I last saw him. What was he doing here? I stare into his sharp blue eyes with confusion. "Bells, who's at the do-" Charlie cut off mid-sentence when he came around the corner to see who was here. "Nick, is that you?"

"Sure is, Uncle Charlie!" Nick said excitedly. I mean obviously it was he. He stood on the front porch before us in all of his glory. "Um, are you guys going to invite me in, or just stand here and gawk over me?" He said with humor in his voice. I just moved over in the doorway and motioned him in as he gives a grateful smile.

"Nick, you are welcomed to stay as long as you'd like. I'm sure you know that. You were family for a while and I still consider you it. I've told you that from day one. It's been so long awhile since I saw you. It's good to see you." Charlie smiles and goes in for a hug. Nick hugs and pats Charlie's back. Leaning back outside the door, Nick reaches out and grabs his suitcase off the porch. I hadn't even realized it was there.

"It's like you read my mind. I was going to ask if I could crash. I promise I won't stay long. Only until I find a place out here then I'll be out of your hair."

My head snaps up so quickly. "You're moving here?" I basically scream making myself, and Charlie, jump. I embraced Nick with a welcoming hug. "I'm so excited! It will be like old times." I grin as old memories flood back.

 _ **Flashback 1.**_

 _I had just land in Seattle for the summer. Renee was spending her free time getting to know her new boyfriend while I was going to be living with Charlie. I groaned knowing just how bored I am going to be. I stepped off the plane and headed towards the baggage claim. I stopped in my tracks and blinked a few times. Huh?_

 _Next to Charlie was my cousin Nick. What was he doing with Charlie? Nick is my mom's sister's son. Last I heard my cousin had nothing to do with Charlie since he and Renee split up. Whenever we hung out, it was at my moms. Yet, they are standing there as if there was never a breakup._

 _Forgetting the bags, I run directly to Charlie and Nick. I lunged myself into his arms and hug him so tight. "It's been forever since I've seen you! How have you been?" I bombarded Nick with questions._

 _He laughed and motioned to Charlie after I let him go. "Charlie invited me to come for the summer while you are here so you wouldn't get too bored. Mom loved the idea!"_

 _I turned to Charlie. "Thank you so much, dad!" I exclaimed throwing myself at him next to hug him._

 _ **Flashback 2.**_

 _We weren't even settled in for a few hours when Nick already decided to take us to the beach in La Push. It was a little chilly due to it being cloudy, but it wasn't too bad. Charlie dropped us both off with the beach bag. It consisted of sunscreen (as if we'd actually need it), towels, and a frisbee._

 _Taking out the largest towel from the bag, I open it up and lay it on the pebbly beach. I kick my sandals off as Nick takes his shirt off. "Last one in's a rotten egg!" He yelled running straight for the water._

 _I drop my book onto the towel and take off after him. However, my luck doesn't last long. I face plant right at the edge of the water. I groan as I sit up and find Nick laughing at me. A wave comes up from behind him and knocks him off balance, causing him to fall over. This time, I'm the one laughing at him._

 _As I'm about to get up, a hand reaches down. "Hey, Bella! Your dad said you guys were here!"_

 _I take his hand and smile. "Hey, Jake. It's been a while. Where's Rachel and Rebecca?"_

 _Jake rolls his eyes. "They are hanging out with boys from school. Said they were their crushes."_

 _I giggle as Nick comes up. "What's up, Jake?" He asks as he hugs him._

" _Not much. Just here to join you guys."_

" _Sweet! Let's play with the frisbee!" Nick chants._

 _I slowly back away with my hands up in surrender. "You guys play. My luck we'll have to leave early because someone got hurt by me or it was me hurt. I'll just go read," I say pointing over my shoulder to the towel that has my favorite book in it._

" _Fine, your loss, bookworm," Nick teased._

 _ **Flashback 3.**_

 _I was sprawled on the floor with my magazines when Nick came barging in the door. "Let's go. Get up, Miss Lazy Butt. We are going out to a party. I got us invited." He grinned sheepishly._

 _"But Nick," I whined, "I'm only an eighth grader and you're a sophomore. No one is going to want me there!" I looked at the floor. He placed his hand under my chin and moved my head upward to look at him._

 _"No Buts, you are going. Trust me you're going to have fun!" He placed a hand on my shoulder and nodded. I sighed as I got up to get ready._

 _When Brianna, Nick's girlfriend for the summer, opened the door. She just glared at me. My hair fell in front of my face as I looked at my hands. I definitely felt unwelcomed. "Tell me you're babysitting her, right?" She snorted at Nick and he shook his head no stepping into her house pulling me in with him. I could feel her glaring daggers into the back of my head. After a few minutes into the party, Nick broke off to go spend time with his summer fling after knowing I was okay to be alone. I sighed._ Alone.

 _The party was full of sophomores, juniors, and seniors- at least that's what I was overhearing from their conversations. No freshman whatsoever and that made me the youngest at this party. Nick had made me dress up nice and curl my hair. He told me I looked old enough for the party. I just stayed off into the corner. Just two more weeks of dealing with this and I'll be shipped back to my moms. I was only here visiting Charlie for half of the summer and most of all to see my favorite cousin Nick._

 _"What's a beautiful girl like you doing all alone during a party?" Whoever said that snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked up into a pair of brown eyes._

 _"Excuse me?" I said._

 _The person leaned in close with his hand on the wall behind me. His face was inches from mine. "I said, what's a girl like you doing all alone during a party? Hmm?" I could smell the alcohol radiating off his breath. Great he's drunk. He reached forward and tucked some hair behind my ears and looked down at me. I shuddered in disgust. I couldn't form any words though. "How 'bout me and you go somewhere pretty lady." By the way was talking, it didn't seem like he was in high school. Is it possibly that he was in college?_

 _He tugged my arm towards the stairs. My eyes grew wide when I realized where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. I knew I was weak, so I wouldn't be able to fight back. The guy stopped in front of a bedroom door. I couldn't wrap my head around what he wanted to do. I was debating whether or not to start screaming for Nick. He wanted to have his way with me. I pulled back from him a little scared. I haven't even had my first kiss yet and this drunken man wanted to take my virginity._

 _He gripped my arm tightly and I cried out in pain. "Ow!" But it was obvious no one would hear me with this music playing so loud seeing as how my voice was drowned out. He smirked smugly. He pushed me into the room and next thing I knew it he had me pinned to the bed. I let out a soft whimper of fear._

 _"Oh you like that, huh, baby? You like it when I'm rough?" He smirked and unzipped the side of my strapless dress with his free hand. A small tear fell from my eyes._

 _Just then, a furious Nick flung the door open and he took one look at me and I saw the hurt in his eyes. I could read him. He felt sorry for bring me here and letting this happen without him knowing. He was hurt because of the expression on my face. But he was also furious. Without hesitation he ripped the guy off me and was punching him square in the face. When Nick was satisfied with what he did he picked me up in his arms and carried me downstairs and headed towards the front door. Brianna shot me a sorry-like glance and I looked at her with tears in my eyes._

 _Nick dropped me off at home and explained to Charlie what happened. Nick was still furious and shaking. When he left the house that was the last time I saw him._

I sigh bringing me back to present. The last flashback causes me to grimace slightly. That was a rough year. It was the reason I stopped visiting Charlie for the summers and had him come to me.

While I was lost in thought Charlie had already gotten Nick situated and his stuff taken up to my room. He had grabbed sheets and left them by the couch so he can make a bed tonight. When I came around the corner, they were sitting in the living room watching ESPN. Ha, typical men.

I giggle softly and go up to my room. My phone lay on my side table as the light flashes on the corner indicating that I have a message. Quite a lot actually. Five text messages, two missed calls, and two voicemails from Jacob. Edward had sent me four texts, had three missed calls, and four voicemails. Alice texted me once, had called me twice and left one voice mail. I decided to listen to the voicemails.

"Bella. Why did you take off like that? Are you back home? Bella call me back!" _Jacob._

"Bella… please answer me back! Call me or text me or something! I'm worried. You haven't called me to tell me you got in alright!" _Jacob again._

"Love, it's around lunch time and I was called to tell you we will be leaving shortly. I love you. Give me a call back." _Edward._

"Bella, why haven't you answered any of my texts or calls? Are you mad at me? I'm so sorry. If there were any other way, I would have stayed. I'm so sorry. Please call me back." _Edward again._

"Bella! Are you okay? Alice can't see your future no more! Bella, Bella please tell me you're okay. Please call me!" _Edward once again._ Sigh.

"Hey sis! I was just calling to check up on you..." _Alice._ Her message was short.

I sit on my bed and pick up my phone. I quickly dial Edward's number. After the first ring he picks up. "Bella?" He asks frantically.

"Yes," was all I could say. I was a little hurt from yesterday.

"Thank god you are okay! But I don't understand why Alice couldn't see your future." There was a door shutting in the background. I'm guessing they were already at the Denali's. That was confirmed when there was an unfamiliar female voice near Edward trying to flirt with him while on the phone with me. I heard her whining Edward's name and asking him to come back into her bedroom. I gritted my teeth.

"Look, Edward I'm fine. I guess Charlie and I will be spending a lot of our time down on the Reservation with Billy. Sorry to scare you. You seem _busy_." I said through my teeth and hung up. I turned my phone off so I wouldn't have to deal with Edward trying to keep calling me. And now that was staying off.

There was a knock on my door. "Bell? It's Nick. Charlie just got called in for the night shift so it's just you and me. I figured we could hang out. Can you unlock the door?" I jumped up and threw the door open. "I'll take that as a yes." He steps in and scowls at my rocking chair.

I motion him to my bed to sit with me. "It's been so long! I missed you. I have so many questions for you!" I smile brightly. "How long are you staying for?"

"Um, well, I want to stay for good. I mean I hope so. I'm going to stay here with you and Charlie until my buddies get into town. We are going to get a place in town here." He looks at me as my smile brightens. "So how have you been? And how about Aunt Renee? I haven't seen her since her and mom got into the huge fight seven years ago. What can you expect from grudge holding sisters?" He laughs nervously.

"What did happen between them?" I said playing with my fingers on my lap. I see Nick smirk and motions for us to lay back. I believe I'm in for a long night.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6)

"Our moms used to be really close to one another. When your mom decided she wanted to leave Charlie and move away, it caused a rift between them. My mom always liked Charlie and thought he was perfect for Aunt Renee. I think she assumed he could tame her adventurous side. Guess she thought wrong when she moved away from everyone." Nick lets out a small chuckle.

I crack a smile. Renee has always been flighty. She was never one to settle down in one place for too long. It makes me happy she's with Phil and able to move around with him. "That can't be all to the story though," I say nudging him with my elbow.

"It's not. And I don't really have the full story. I just know it got bad enough between them, that they haven't talked in seven years. Must have been a huge arguement." He pauses for a moment. "Anyway, enough about our moms. Tell me about you. How's school? Do you have yourself a boyfriend?"

"School's great. I like all the classes I have. I just wish English had a different book list. I've read them all before," I frown but then grin. "And yes. I have a boyfriend."

Nick looks up at me. "Do tell!"

Gasping, I throw my hand over my heart. "Don't tell me my cousin has turned into a gossiper."

He shoves my shoulder gently. "Of course not. But I do want to know about him. And meet him soon."

My smile fades. "Oh, well, you can meet him eventually. He's out of town right now visiting a sick family member. He'll be home by Monday."

Nick notices my upset voice and gives me a hug. "I'm sure everything will be alright. Let's go to bed. We have plenty of time tomorrow to catch up. It's a Sunday after all!"

* * *

I wake up to the sun shinning brightly through my window and the house phone ringing downstairs. I groan and roll out of bed. I pick up my cellphone and turn it back on. When I see I have some more voicemails from Edward and Alice, I groan again. What does he expect? He was allowing a girl to flirt with him while he was on the phone with me. I bet you it was Tanya Denali. She had always had a crush on him. I have that feeling that maybe, just maybe he won't come home and he will stay with her. I shudder away from the thought.

I realize I also have a message from Jake. It was he telling me that he talked to Charlie and made sure I got home safely. He's upset that I walked away with Seth instead of talking with him. His second message was asking if he could come over and hang out. I grit my teeth in anger. He wants to come over here after telling me he'd rather me dead?

Definitely no. I text him and tell him I don't want to see him.

I hear some clattering from downstairs and remember Nick is here. A smile replaces the anger I was just feeling. I slowly get out of bed and stretch. My muscles are achy and I have no idea as to why. I haven't been lifting anything heavy or doing any type of workout. I brush it off to a rough night's sleep. A soft rapping on the door makes me look to the door. "Come in."

"Good morning sleeping beauty," Nick jokes.

"Morning," I mumble. I move around my room and gather my clothes for the day.

"Breakfast is ready when you are. I'll meet you downstairs after my shower. Oh, and Charlie called. He's staying until lunchtime because of the case they are working on. It's bad enough he went in late last night now he'll have to stay longer." Poor Charlie. He is getting too old to have to do that. Couldn't they get someone younger? I sigh and pick up my phone. I miss Edward's voice but I was also a little upset with him. I'm debating whether or not to just call him.

After a few minutes of my internal debate, I dial his number.

"Bella, Love?" Edward breathes out into the phone as soon as he picks up.

"Yes?"

"Thank god. Are you okay? I'm sorry about last night. It's not what you think. It's Tanya. You know how I told you about her. She won't leave me alone."

I listen to him drone on and on about Tanya. I didn't really want to hear it. I heard him tell me about her plenty of times. I just wish I knew what she looked like so I knew what I was up against. "It's okay. I just wanted to check in and see how everything was."

There's a long pause. "Oh, well everything is good. We haven't made a move for the rogue vampires yet. We are trying to get a feel on how they think and what they do. Jasper is trying to come up with a strategy. So we should be out of here in a few days."

"A few days? I thought it was only going to take the weekend."

"It was going too, but Jasper didn't want us to rush it. He had a feeling that things would have ended badly."

"Badly," I scoff. "I'm sure it would have been fine. You're all more experienced than a newborn vampire."

"But newborn vampires have more strength than us. If we came at them the wrong way, some of us could have gotten ripped apart. It's their natural reaction as newborns. Take out any threats that are upon them. They go for obvious kills, which could be easy to prevent. But if they get ahold of one of us, it could get bad, Love."

I stare down at my feet. "Ah, I see. Okay then. When do you think you'll be home?" I ask timidly.

"We're hoping to get this done tomorrow if it all goes according to plan. Then we'll be back on Tuesday."

"Tuesday," I repeat. "I think I can live with that. It's only a day later than what you originally planned. I'm not ready to deal with the questions starting Monday. You know what everyone will think when it isn't sunny and it's obvious you aren't camping. I'll be questioned a lot." I grimaced just thinking about it.

"I'm sorry, Love," Edward apologizes.

"No, no. It's okay. I'll handle it." I reassured him. "But anyway, I have to go. I will call or text you later."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye." I hang up my phone and get dressed. I head downstairs into the kitchen and start making myself a plate consisting of pancakes and bacon.

A few minutes later, Nick shows up with his hair dripping from the shower. He piles food onto his plate and sits across from me before shoveling food into his mouth.

"You have a big appetite," I comment raising my eyebrows.

"Yeah, I am famished. I didn't eat yesterday on my way here."

I chuckle. Of course he didn't. "Well, let's finish eating and then we can go do something." I say as I dip my bacon in syrup and eat it.

Nick's eyes light up. "Why don't we go to La Push beach, just like old times," he suggests. I tried to hide my grimace. I really did. His face fell. "Or not."

"No, no. It's not that I don't want to go. I do, with you. I'm just afraid I'll run into someone I'm mad at. He lives near the beach and frequents it a lot." I give a brief explanation. I know I couldn't tell him the truth as to why I am mad.

"Are you mad at Jake?" I look at him shocked. How did he know it was Jacob I'm mad at?

"Oh, come on. Don't think I'm some kind of idiot. I _know_ Jacob Black was the only friend you had on the Rez back when we were kids. We used to play with him when we were younger. And during the summer, he would hang with us whenever Charlie took us to La Push. I remember. I have a big brain ya know," Nick says tapping his head with his fork.

"Oh, yeah. Well, I am mad at him. But it's okay. We can still go. I'd like to go with you. I'll just ignore him if we run into him." I finish my breakfast and hurry to wash mine and Nick's dishes.

Nick and I get dressed into clothes we can swim in at the beach. I pack myself an extra set of clothes but Nick doesn't. He believes he won't need it. I roll my eyes thinking how stupid he is. I know for a fact it will get cold with the wind. And if we are wet it will get even worse. So he will be shit out of luck with no extra clothes.

When we arrive at the beach, I hesitantly get out of my truck. Nick is grabbing our stuff out of the back. I made sandwiches for lunch while Nick packed a blanket and towels in the old beach bag. We stopped and bought a football to throw around if we wanted, since the frisbee from years ago is long gone. I grab the blanket from the bag Nick is holding out to me.

We walk to a spot that wasn't too far from the water, but far enough so no water would come to the blanket. I lay the blanket out on the ground and kick off my shoes to place on two edges. I did that so the blanket wouldn't blow away from the wind. Nick follows my lead and does the same with his shoes. He hands me the bag and turns to run straight for the water.

"Bella!" I hear from behind me.

I turned and came face to face with a woman with short hair. It was obvious she was Native American with her tan skin and pitch-black hair. I smile brightly as the woman comes closer and I recognize her as Leah. I wave at her to join me on the blanket.

"Leah! What brings you out here this fine morning?"

I notice the sour look cross her face before she composes herself. "The Cullen's called Sam early this morning. Turns out there's a vampire situation they're dealing with. Their empath came up with the idea of asking us for help. But because Seth and I are still new to the pack, they want to leave us behind."

So, it's bad enough to involve the wolves huh? Sighing, I lean forward and grab a handful of pebbles. "I was told it wasn't that bad. That they'd be able to handle it. I'm sorry they're calling for the pack and leaving you behind."

Leah lets out a small laugh. "It's not too bad. I hate that I won't be able to fight, but it gives me more time to deal with the whole werewolf thing without them breathing down my neck. They'll be far enough away that it will be hard to order me through thoughts." My eyes drift away from her when I see someone in the corner of my eye. I glance up and find Nick coming out of the water gripping his torso. "Oh, I'm sorry. You're here with someone aren't you? I can leave-"

Nick cuts Leah off as he sits on the blanket with us. Still holding his torso. _What's wrong with him?_ "Nonsense. No need to make a beautiful woman like yourself leave."

Leah snaps her head up. "Me? Beautiful?"

"Well, my cousin definitely isn't calling me beautiful," I state poking Leah in the side.

Nick grins while making eye contact with Leah. A gasps comes from her lips as her eyes glaze over. Nick's breath is caught in his throat. Their gazes are locked on one another in an intense stare. I've never seen anything like it before.

Something dawns on me. "Holy shit, Leah! Did you just imprint?" I ask as I shake her shoulders.

Leah snaps out of it first and turns to me with a huge smile.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7)

Shock is written all over my face as Leah and Nick are walking along the beach. She's currently telling him about werewolves and what imprinting means, since I blurted it out. I still can't believe she imprinted on my cousin of all people. I shake my head as the shock wears off and a smile graces my face. I'm so happy for her. She deserves happiness since Sam.

I wonder how he'll react to the news. Crap, does this mean I have to tell him about the Cullen's being vampires? I stand up and start heading over to Leah because I want to stop her from saying anything about the Cullen's. That should be my job. He should hear it from me.

"Promise not to say anything about it yet? She can't know until it happens." I hear Nick say as I approach them.

"Of course. It's safe with me," Leah replies. She nudges Nick as she sees me come into view.

I wonder what they're talking about. "Hey, guys." I smile. "I'm getting hungry. I was coming to see if you wanted to eat the sandwiches I packed yet?"

Nick wraps his arm around Leah. "Yes, please. I'm starved," he states.

I roll my eyes. "You're always starving."

Leah throws her head back and laughs. "It's okay. I'm always starving, too. Courtesy of my wolf genes."

Nick looks over at Leah and winks. "That's hot. I love girls who have great appetites."

Heading back to our blanket, I pull out the sandwiches to eat. Good thing I made extras. I'll have to ask Leah if she told him about Cold Ones yet. I hope not.

* * *

It's been a week since Leah and Nick got together due to the imprinting. The Cullen's still weren't home. Nothing went according to plan, so they're still in Denali. It pissed me off when I first found out, but now I'm just numb. It feels like they aren't coming back for a while.

At school, I got bombarded with questions as to why the Cullen's were gone. I would tell them constantly that they are visiting sick family, but it didn't stop the rumors. There were rumors that the Cullen's left me again because I wasn't anything special. Another rumor was saying that the Cullen's adopted another female and she became Edward's new girlfriend. Also following that rumor was that they moved away, so I wouldn't ruin the new relationship. Another rumor was saying they went on vacation and decided to leave me behind in hopes to find Edward a new girlfriend.

Yeah, the rumors were pretty harsh. At times they bothered me, but I knew better. I know what's the truth. It's not like they could know it. But because of this vampires, Edward and I haven't been able to talk due to how busy they were. So many plan changes.

Leah and I have become great friends. She's also hitting it off well with Nick. Leah stopped phasing the day she imprinted because she wants her own privacy about the imprint. But she also does it to spite Sam. He wants nothing but updates on the tribe but won't give any information about their mission. Seth, however, continues to phase. He'll update Sam to please him. I know Leah hasn't even told her brother about the imprint, so I wonder how he'll feel when she finally finds out. They are both constantly over at my house hanging with Nick and I, so it's bound to come out sooner or later. Soon she won't be able to stay away from my cousin long enough while her brother is over. Leah will jump Nick one of these days while her brother is over and that's when Seth will find out.

Speaking of Nick, today is Saturday and we are going house hunting. He really wants to get a place figured out before his friends come out next week. He isn't sure if they will even have a house ready within a week, but he wants to try. His reasoning, and I quote, "It's Forks. No one ever wants to stay. There are plenty of houses available."

I am in my room getting ready when my phone chimes. I reach across the bed to read the incoming text.

 _Hey vamp girl, want to hang out? –L_

Dammit. _Sorry wolf girl, I can't today. I'm going house hunting with Nick. –B_

 _Oh man. Wish I could come. –L_

I smiled. _That's not a bad idea. Let me ask Nick if you can tag along! –B_

I put my phone in my pocket and head downstairs to meet up with Nick. "Mind if Leah comes?"

Nick's eyes are brimming with happiness. "Not at all. Let's pick her up."

I quickly type, _On our way. Be ready in ten -B_

After picking up Leah, we head back to Forks. "Seth found out I was coming to hang out with you guys. I told him he couldn't come today because it's house hunting for Nick. But I told him we can all hang out tomorrow. That okay, guys?" Leah says as she leans forward. Her head is resting on my seat.

"Sounds like fun. We can do the movies for something," I reply. Nick nods in agreement.

We arrive back to Forks and drive through town. It was quite funny how the Cullen's live on one side of town and now Nick is looking at the other. The gas alone is going to kill me for my truck. But, if it's a nice house, who wouldn't mind? It would be a nice place to go hang out with my cousin and get away for a while, if need be.

My eyes grow wide as I looked out of the window and take in the house we pull up at. Is it possible this house is larger than the Cullen's? How will my cousin and his friends afford this place? Do they even have jobs? Will they get jobs?

The three of us walked up to the large front porch and knocked on the door. I'm surprised when I see Mrs. Cope answer the door with a man beside her. My eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Mrs. Cope? I thought you lived closer in town?"

Mrs. Cope lets out a hearty laugh. "Oh, honey, I do. This is my husband's job. I come to the open houses on the weekends to make sure the places are clean. He sells the houses while I am the receptionist at school. This is my husband right here," She motions to the man next to her.

I smile and wave as Nick says hello. Leah nods her head at the two. We are motioned inside and begin our tour. As soon as we walk in, we are met with a large foyer. If we turn to our left, we are met with a room that looks like an office. When we turn to our right we find an open library with no doors. I want to go right into that room, but Nick insists on the office first. I groan. I could see a bay window with the coziest seat. Just by seeing that, I know I would be here a lot if this is the place Nick choses.

The office is huge. There's a big oak desk in the middle of the room. Behind it, is a big window looking out front. On one side, there are filing cabinets and the other side has shelves. There is a mount on the wall that looks like it's for a flat screen TV. There is enough room to add a small couch or a couple of chairs. This family had a really nice set up. Nick would have to look into doing something like this.

We begin walking out of the room and into the library next. "Now, I just want to let you know. The last owners left most of the furniture. If you take this place, you are welcome to keep any of the furniture," Mr. Cope says.

The library's wall are covered in ceiling to floor oak shelves. They are empty right now, but I know I could get them filled easily. I move over to the bay window and sit on it. It's as comfy as I imagine. After the library we head back into the foyer. There is this beautiful twin staircase. Right in between the stairs is a hallway leading into, what I assume, will be the kitchen and living room area.

We walk through the hallway and come face to face with a huge living room. There's a big U-shaped couch as well as a mount for a flat screen TV on the wall. A sliding glass door leads out back into the woods. When you turn, you are faced with the kitchen and dining room. The dining room is empty, so it's something Nick would have to fill if he choses this place. The kitchen has a long L-shaped counter with an island in the middle of the room. A chandelier hangs over an open space I believe would be for a table. If you went straight through the kitchen, you find the laundry room and a bathroom. We haven't even seen the entire house and I'm already in love.

 _ **Nick's POV**_

I knew before we even stepped foot in here, that I was going to buy this place. Bella doesn't know how much money is on our side of the family. Her mother has kept it from her. And I'm pretty sure Charlie's side is well off too. But I doubt Charlie knows. I also knew that my friends would pay up when it came to bills and other stuff. I watched Bella's eyes light up with everything she took in. She was so happy with the library by itself. I know she loves to read, so that is the perfect room for her. I know I would never mess with it.

When we reach the second floor, there are five bedrooms and two bathrooms to go through. It's perfect for the fact that on this floor, it will be mixed between guys and girls. So each gender could claim a bathroom. The third floor is set up just as the previous. There are five bedrooms and two bathrooms. I know for a fact that out of the ten bedrooms at least two bedrooms won't be used. They can easily be made into something else. I probably would use the dining room as a dining room because of the fact, the kitchen won't be able to seat twelve people. Yeah, that's right. Twelve.

We have Rayne ( _pronounced Rain_ ) who doesn't have a girlfriend and would have his own room. Braden and Haley who would share a room. Stefan and Claire who would also share a room. Zachary and Drew who would share a room. Two of the triplets, Rachel and Nicole, would share a room and Ryan would probably take his own for his flings he usually has. Then there would be one room for me _and_ Leah, and one room for Bella. I know Bella would be over a lot, so I will have a room and a seat, at the table, set aside for her. The basement is another story. I would have to take everything out of there and fix it. It was the perfect size for what I need.

As we are finishing up the tour, Bella gets a phone call. She excuses herself outside as I approach the man Bella called Mr. Cope. "Sir, I'll take it. I know my friends and I will fit perfectly in this house. It's the perfect amount of space we need for everyone." I flash her my winning smile. It must have made her heart melt because she didn't question me or anything.

"Alright, dear. Let's get you the paperwork needed. If I may ask, whom will the name of the house be under?"

"I would like it to be under both mine and Bella's name. That way, God forbid, anything ever happen to Uncle Charlie, or me I want her to know she has a place to call home. I want to take care of my cousin at all costs. And that means leaving her stuff to fall back on if needed." At my little speech, Mrs. Cope seems to tear up and nod quickly while elbowing her husband.

"Of course. Let's make this official," He says. "I'll go start the paperwork."

Leah leans her head against my shoulder as I stare out to window at Bella. She's yelling at the person on the phone. I can see her hand shaking slightly. "When are you going to tell her?" She questions.

"It's building up, Leah. It's about to happen."

She sighs. "I hate keeping this from her. She deserves to know."

I kiss Leah's forehead. "As soon as it happens, I'll tell her. I won't let it go beyond that point. I promise."

"Okay. You know what you're doing, so we'll just wait it out."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8)

After viewing the house, Nick told us he was taking us out to dinner. We stop by the diner and eat cheeseburgers. He insists on paying the bill and leaving a nice tip. Leah and I roll our eyes at him. _Typical men._ By the time we get home after dropping Leah off, it's six o'clock at night. I decide to just head upstairs and do my homework. Nick decides to leave me alone, so he doesn't distract me. Charlie should be home any minute which means they can watch ESPN with one another.

After doing homework for what seemed like hours, my head is pounding. I finally decide to call it a night and go to bed. WIthin minutes, I fall asleep.

 _I look around frantically. I can hear someone calling my name but I couldn't tell whom. It sounds pained, like they are in trouble. The snow falling down is making the ground wet and I know if I run, I will surely slip._

 _But I do it anyway. I run in the direction I think the voice is coming from. I break through the trees and find myself face to face with Victoria. She's mimicking a voice that sounds so familiar. I couldn't quite place it._

 _It was then that I saw, from the corner of my eye, some movement. I see Edward being held back by two vampires and a female with strawberry blond hair by another two._

" _It has come to my attention,_ Isabella _," She sneers my name. "That Edward over there killed my mate for no reason. I found him here with this blonde making out while hunting in Denali. It's such a shame really. I thought you guys were mates. I_ was _going to kill you. You know a mate for a mate. But I think turning you, and letting you suffer will be enough. Your heart will be broken and he will be guilty for the rest of eternity. That is enough pain for me."_

 _Within seconds, she's in my face. Her blood red eyes met my terrified brown eyes. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Edward cheated on me. And now, I'm about to get changed into a vampire for the rest of eternity to suffer? I begin backing away. Every step I take backwards, she matches going forward. I shake my head._

 _In a split second she launches herself forward and grabs me by my neck. She slams her teeth down onto my neck as I let out a blood-curling scream._

I bolt upright panting and sweating. I place my hand over my chest and try to slow my racing heart. Really needing to go to the bathroom, I swing my legs over the bed. As soon as I'm in the bathroom, I shut the door behind me and do my business. I rub circles on my forehead, trying to relieve the pressure it's feeling. Maybe some tylenol will help?

I start the shower and stripe my clothes. My naked body stands under the spray of the water. The hot water hits my back and it feels amazing. I run my hands over my face to clear my head. Some nightmare. After getting out of the shower, I get dressed and head downstairs.

Nick's passing by me on the steps when he says, "I'll be in the shower if you need me. Charlie's at work."

"Alright." I rub my head trying to make my headache go away. Need that medicine. I head to the laundry room and open the cabinet designated to all the first aid. I pull out the bottle of tylenol and head to the kitchen for a glass of water.

After taking some tylenol, I grab a bowl, milk, and cereal. I plop myself in a seat and eat some cereal for breakfast. The house phone rings just as I'm finishing up, so I get up to grab it. I sit back down at the table and press the talk button. I shove another spoonful of cereal in my mouth.

"Hello?" I ask around the food in my mouth.

"Bella?" Edward asks, seeming a little confused.

I swallow the food. "Yeah, sorry. I was eating. What's up?" There's some hesitation. "Edward? What is it?" I pres.

"Well, you see, Love, we won't be coming home just yet. There's been an incident. We weren't able to get the rogue vampire's under control. Some lashed out and were able to injure some wolves and get a couple limbs of the vampires."

I gasp. "Who?"

"It doesn't matter. They'll be okay. Everyone is healing."

"Wait, you said you wouldn't be coming home just yet. How long are you thinking you'll be?" My heart begins to race and my head pounds worse than before.

"Um, we're not sure anymore..." My heart freezes.

"Y-You're not sure?" I ask for clarification.

"Yes." It feels like my heart breaks. Why does he have to stay there? Why is this their problem? I just want Edward to come home, so he isn't with that strawberry blonde. Tears spring to my eyes. I wipe at my tears but they won't stop. I can feel the snot running from my nose. A sob catches in my thought. "I'm sorry, Love. Really I am. I wish I could come home sooner, but you know Carlisle. His duty lies with our cousins. He wouldn't like it if I left."

"I-It's okay." My voice cracks. My eyes start hurting, so I began to rub them vigorously. The wetness won't stop. I wipe my nose on my sleeve as I sniff. When it feels like my face is on fire, I whimper out in pain.

"Bella? Love?" I heard Edward ask through the phone, as I sank to the floor.

 _ **Nick's POV**_

I hear Bella's choked sob as I reach the top of the stairs. When I hear her whimper of pain, my eyes grow wide. _NO! It's too soon._ I rush down the stairs and come into the kitchen just as she's sinking to the floor. I reach Bella within seconds.

Bella has blood streaming out of her eyes, ears, and nose. I grab the phone out of her hand. "Hello? Edward, right? I'm Bella's cousin. She was cooking and accidentally sliced her finger while talking with you. She's fine, it's not too bad. I'm just going to get the first aid kit to clean it. I'll have her call you when she can." I hang up fast. I wasn't bothering to let him answer me. I know I sound convincing, but who would know if the vampire believes me or not. I'll just have to steal her phone later to send him a message pretending to be her. She's not going to be talking to him anytime soon.

I crouch in front of Bella. "Bella bear? I need you to calm down. Your eyes, ears, and nose are bleeding. Everything will be okay though. I know it is painful. Just breathe through it. It's almost over." I reassure her in a soft tone. I know if I spoke too loud, it would just hurt her ears more than they already are.

I know from experience this won't take long. But I also know that this isn't the most painful part. Sighing, I drop head. I thought I would have more time until this happened. I guess I didn't see it coming. The doorbell rings and it causes Bella to cry out in pain.

"Bella?" Leah asks panicky through the door. _Shit! I forgot we were all going to hang out today. Why today of all days?_ Bella cries out again and I'm torn on what to do. Stay here and try to calm her or go to the door and usher Leah away. Before I could move though, she barges through the door. From the sharp intake of breath, I assume she saw us or smelled us from where she was. "Bella!" She exclaims as she comes rushing over to us and drops to her knees.

"What the hell is happening to her?!" Seth yells when he finally sees the scene before him. Bella whimpers at the loud sound and tries clawing at her ears. I grip her hands to hold them in place at her side. "We need to get her to a hospital!"

"No, we can't take her. They won't be able to help her." I try to explain.

"Are you crazy," Seth screams at me. Bella cries out again from the loud sound. "Of course they can help her!" He begins rushing around the house trying to find Bella's shoes. Leah just kneels before us. She catches my eyes and gives me a questioning look. I sigh and nod, letting her know it's happening.

"Oh," she mumbles as she brushes the hair out of Bella's face.

Seth breezes by with the phone in his hand. He's about to call an ambulance. Isn't he? "Stop it, pup," I growl furiously at him.

That stops him in his tracks. "What did you just call me? She freaking told _you_?" Seth is seething and shaking.

"No, I knew this whole time. I knew it before I even got here." I'm trying to keep my voice down for Bella's sake. But it's beginning to get hard with how Seth was acting. "Now, if you will just listen to me. The hospital will _not help_ her. We need to move her into her room and try to get her as comfortable as we can. I know exactly what is happening and I will explain it all when Bella wakes back up, because she is about to pass out." When I turn towards Bella, she does exactly as I said she would. She slumps over and Seth looks panicked. Leah nods to me and pick her up gently.

"What can I do?" Seth asks frantically.

"Get a few wet cloths and meet us upstairs," I instruct.

"Nicky, you said it was going to be a while. That's why you have your friends coming out next week. Why so soon?" Leah whispers too low for her brother to hear as we head upstairs.

I shake my head. "I'm not sure, Lee," I mumble while she opens Bella's bedroom door for me. I sigh as I lay her on top of her freshly made bed. Sweat is forming on her forehead and she lets out a small whimper. The sound nearly breaks my heart. Seth joins us in the room moments later, thrusting damp cloths into my hands.

I use one of the wet cloths to wipe the blood from her face. I gently stroke around her eyes, not wanting to cause her anymore discomfort. Leah picks up another cloth and begins dabbing at her forehead. I can sense Seth just staring at us from where he is standing.

"How do you know what is happening to her?" Seth questions quietly from across the room.

"Because it has happened to me before," is all I say while I discard the bloody cloth to the side. I pick up the the last one and drape it across her eyes to try help and ease the burning sensation she's surely feeling.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9)

I feel myself drifting. Drifting through something unrecognizable. Opening my eyes, I look around only to find it pitch black. My mouth opens to yell out into the void, but nothing comes from me. I stumble back with a gasp as fire spreads throughout my body.

 _Dear God! What is this?_

My knees buckle beneath me as wave after wave of it overcomes my body. My legs, my arms, my head, my eyes. Nothing is left untouched. Everything is consumed by this raging fire that desires my life. I feel myself whimper as it centers around heart.

 _No, no. I can't die. Not now. Not when I have Edward back in my life. Not when I'm finally whole again._

I scream out as the fire squeezes my heart. It feels like a knife is being plunged into my chest and twisted. Panting, I feel my eyes roll back as I fall into the black abyss.

* * *

Hearing voices is what finally brings me out from my own personal hell. I groan and reach my hand up to remove the thing from my face. Whatever it is, isn't allowing me to open my eyes.

A warm hand stops mine on the way to my face. "Not just yet. Nick says a little bit longer." The voice belongs to Leah.

"W-What happened?" I croak out. My hand slips from Leah's to grasp my throat. It hurts and I have no clue why.

"It's not for me to say. Give Seth a moment to bring Nick back upstairs. He's grabbing you a glass of water."

"Hmm." I hum out. Not really sure what to say.

I allow my body to relax itself. After a couple of minutes, I hear the familiar creaks of the staircase, signaling someone is coming up. "Hey, Bella Bear, how are you feeling?" Nick questions.

"Um, I'm not sure. But I think I will be better once I know what is going on."

"Right. Well, you see, you went through a transformation." I hear Nick mumble.

I don't think I hear him quite right. "I'm sorry what? Say again?"

"I said you went through a transformation," Nick says as I hear him shuffle forward. A second later, the cloth is removed from my eyes. I blinked a couple times as the bright light assaults my eyes. Two gasps fill the room.

"What do you mean transformation? Have you lost your-"

"No, he's right," Leah interrupts me. I glance over at her to find her staring wide-eyed at me. I move my gaze to Seth and see him with his mouth hanging wide open.

"Why are you looking at me like that!" I exclaim.

"You're eyes, they are," Seth starts before breaking off into silence.

Leah finishes for him, "Blue."

"Blue?" I squeak looking around for confirmation. All three nod their heads. "Can I see?" Nick comes forward with a hand mirror. I take it quickly and bring it up to my face. I see floors me. It can't be. Is this even possible? My eyes, my once brown eyes are no more. My chocolate eyes were now replaced with an icy blue. I rub my eyes a few times hoping that I was dreaming this. But still, the reflection is all the same as before. "H-How?" I stammer out.

"There's something about our family that you do not know. Your mom tried to keep it from you but I knew it would be happening and soon. That's why I came to town. I know your boyfriend is a vampire and your best friend is a werewolf." I open my mouth to speak but he keeps talking. "I know about them. I know you were even bitten. God damn it, Bella, you could have died! Their bite can kill our kind!" He growls angrily.

"Kill our kind?" I question him while confusion is written all over my face. "What do you mean?" My eyebrows rise up.

Nick sighs. "Well, here goes nothing. Bella, our family is made up of witches. It is carried to you through your mother's side and, surprisingly enough, Charlie's side. Charlie doesn't know about witches because it skipped his generation. So no one thought to tell him about the history. Your Grandmother Swan was a witch. She knew Renee's side of the family a witch too when she met us. But your mom never wanted you to become one. That's the argument that happened between our mothers. My mom believes every child has the right to know his or her birthrights, but your mom disagreed. A hardship can make us transform earlier than we are supposed to. I transformed early and so did you."

"What hardship put you through your transformation?" I ask curiously.

He didn't look me in the eye. He stares at the floor as he tells me, "Remember when I took you to that party that one summer? Well, when we were there I noticed you had disappeared and I asked around to see if anyone saw you leave. Someone said they saw Dave take you upstairs. My heart froze at that point. I was searching through every room upstairs. When I finally found you," he sighs, "I was outraged. He was on top of you and I was so upset. I wanted to murder him. He was about to rape you, my baby cousin. And I wouldn't have known! I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to. I blame myself to this day, for bringing you there. When I finally got you out of there and safely at home I went back to the house with mom and I collapsed in the kitchen. I was bleeding from the eyes, ears, and nose just like you earlier. It had started."

I took in everything that he had said. I mean, Nick wouldn't lie to me. So, this had to be the truth, right?

Nick begins to speak again. "As for you, your hardship was recent. You lost your boyfriend and best friend. And I only assume it wasn't the first. But that is what caused your transformation. Bella, the eyes aren't the only things that will change about you. Your hair will change next. Your hair will change color. It will go to a lighter brown, like mine. I would call it a caramel-like color and it's possible you will have blonde highlights. Most girl witches do. Your height is next. Oh God, probably the most painful. You will shrink to be four foot ten. That height gives us the advantage of speed. I know this is a lot to take in but it needs to be said.

"Like I said earlier, a bite from a werewolf or a vampire could kill our kind. We have to be very careful. We have to make sure all the venom from a vampire is sucked out and for a werewolf we have special cream that you must carry. Our job is to keep the peace among the supernatural with our powers. Bella, it is our destiny." Nick looks up at me with hopeful eyes. "There are a lot more things you need to know. So much for you to learn."

I sit up on the edge of the bed. "What do I need to know?" He sighs and sits next to me. Leah and Seth join us as well, being so absorbed into the conversation happening before them.

"We need to teach you spells. There's a lot of them but don't worry it'll be easy. Then we must show you your new weapons. And from there, we train and train and train. You'll be a professional in no time. Finally, we must give you the tattoo. It's like a branding and shows you who your family is and what you are. The best thing is, the tattoo doesn't show up unless you use your power, so that means no one will know. And then, you have to meet our coven. Well, um, your coven." Nick shifts his head to look out the window.

My eyebrows furrow together. "What do you mean?"

He brings his hand up to the back of his neck and rubs it. "The witches in our coven aren't pureblood witches. They are half witches. Which means only one parent is from witch decent. Your mom married Charlie and had you only because her parents made her. They needed a pureblood line. Aunt Renee knew that the Swan's witch bloodline skipped a generation, but she hoped it would skip again for you. It didn't, much to her dismay. You are a full blood witch, Bella. Only a pureblood can run covens. Which makes you the rightful leader of our coven. I have been in charge until you were to transform. And now that you have, you will take over as leader once you are all caught up on the training and whatnot."

I just sit there and stare at Nick. _Leader?_ He wants me to take over as leader? I gulp. "Uh, sure sure," I say. I can hear the uncertainty in my voice. "How many are in our coven and what is everyone's name?" I ask completely forgetting about the others in the room..

"Well, there is twelve of us total. There is Rayne, Braden, Haley, Stefan, Claire, Zachary, Drew, Rachel, Nicole, Ryan, you and me. Braden and Haley are a couple as well as Stefan and Claire. Zachary and Drew are a couple as well and before you ask, yes, Drew is a guy. Please don't make a big deal about it to either of them. It's difficult for them to feel accepted. Rachel, Nicole, and Ryan are triplets. Ryan is constantly bringing home flings, so please stay away from him. I have no doubt he will try and get into your pants. Rachel, Nicole, and Rayne are all single."

Seth and I are gaping at Nick as he explains this nonchalantly. It's like he doesn't see it as a big deal that there is _twelve_ people to this coven. That means I would be in charge of _eleven_ others beside myself. Oh, god. I put my head into my hands as I start to hyperventilate.

Nick starts rubbing my back. "Hey, hey now. None of that Bella Bear. You'll be fine. We'll teach you everything you'll need to know. I got ahold of everyone earlier and they're on their way to Fork's. They will be here by midnight. I even talked to Mrs. Cope and she was able to get me the keys so I can move in today. How about that? Exciting, huh?" I couldn't control my breathing. I'm still hyperventilating. How is that exciting? I'll be meeting them today!

Leah crouches in front of me. "Bella, look at me," she says as she takes my head into her hands. "You aren't going in there blind and alone. Seth and I will be there along the way, too. I see you as a sister. I'll be damned if I let you suffer or see you break down because of being overwhelmed. Breathe and let us in. We will help you." Leah and I were looking each other in the eyes as I nod my head. She nods her head too and break out into a smile.

"Wait, how are you so calm? You weren't surprised when he explained everything. Only Seth and I were."

Leah laughs as she straightens up. "Easy, Nicky already told me. Having imprinted allowed me to tell him my secret- which he already knew of course. But he came clean with me about his secret the day on the beach."

Glancing over at Nick, I find him smiling sheepishly at me. Behind him, Seth is furrowing his eyebrows. "Imprinted?" Seth questions.

"Shit," Leah mumbles under her breath. "Ah, yeah. I imprinted on Nick."

Seth huffs. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Leah shrugs. "I was letting it sink in?" She asks more as a question rather than a statement. "Also, now that Bella has transformed, no more shifting. The pack doesn't deserve all the updates you're giving them. And I'm not about to let you spill Bella's secret. They deserve nothing, Seth, you hear me?"

"Yeah," he says lamely.

"Now that that is settled. On a more serious note, how will we explain to everyone why Bella's eyes and hair are a different color and why she'll be shrinking?" Leah inquires moving to stand next to Nick. He instantly wraps his arms around her and kisses her temple.

"I can tell Charlie it's contacts and hair dye, you know, as a change. And if he asks about the height, I can just tell him he's getting old and that I've always been this short. With school, I can care less what everyone thinks. They'll just end up making rumors anyway. So let's only worry about Charlie," I suggest. Everyone nods their head in agreement.

"Okay then, let's get my stuffed moved into the new house. Bella, you are going to love my ideas for it." Nick states as we all file out of my room.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10)

Leah and Seth's eyes are huge when we pull up in front of the property and they take in the size of the house. "Wow," Seth breathes out.

"Yeah," Leah agrees in awe.

Nick and I glance at each other and laugh. _Just wait until they see the inside._ Walking up to the house, Nick pulls out a set of keys.

"When did you get those?"

Nick smiles as he unlocks the door. "Mr. Cope handed them to me before we left. He said he's going to come back next week to take the keypad off the door."

"Ah, I see."

Walking into the foyer, I kick my shoes off, not wanting to get any dirt around the new place. Nick said something before about it being all new carpet. Leah and Seth follow my lead while my cousin heads to the office. That's where he decides to take his shoes off. I cock my eyebrow at him but he just waves me off. _He's weird sometimes._

A smirk graces his face as we begin the tour. "The office and the library down here are for you, Bella Bear. The main reason they are yours is because of the fact that you are our leader and will need an office to yourself. The library is obviously yours because you love reading. They are yours so you can change them and take care of the furniture as you see fit if you decide to get rid of the leftover furniture."

"I, uh, don't know what to say. Thanks, I think? The library can be used by everyone though. I won't be a hog, I promise."

Nick winks as we move down the hallway and into the kitchen. "Of course you'll be a hog, you bookworm. Anyhow, moving on. I feel like with how large our coven is, the dining room should be exactly that. It will also work for when we hold meetings. And we can also put a small table under the chandelier for quicks meals if someone wants to sit down. Oh! I also have an idea for the basement. I was thinking we could turn it into a training room. You know, like mats covering the floor and weapons on the wall. How does that sound?"

I bite my lip. "I think it's a great idea. We should probably invest in a large first aid kit though. You remember how clumsy I am."

Seth and Leah laugh, remembering the couple times I've tripped when hanging out with them. Blood rushes to my face causing me to blush.

"No need to worry. We heal easily and have amazing grace."

"Seriously?" I exclaim.

"Definitely. I can show you if you'd like." Nick challeneges as he moves behind the counter and opens a drawer. A moment later he pulls his hand back with a small steak knife.

 _What the hell! Did these people before leave everything!?_ I stammer out, "No-no. It's okay. I'll learn myself later down the line."

Nick chuckles and places it on the counter. Once he lets go it disappears. Seth lets out a loud gasp as Leah sighs. "Show off," she mumbles.

"What? Where did it go?" I ask, puzzled.

"I conjured it from a spell. Then I made it go away."

"That is crazy," I mumble.

Nick starts walking out of the kitchen and heads to the stairs. "Come on. Let's go check out the bedrooms."

* * *

After checking out the bedrooms, we're all sitting on the couch in the living room. Leah is curled into Nick's side while Seth glances at them every now and then. "So out of the ten bedrooms, there will be two empty rooms left. We can easily turn them into something else. I haven't decided yet. I'm thinking one of them can be the spells room."

I bit my lip. "I think we can sit down and decide what to do once the others get here. We can maybe make one into an activities room. You know, one for like hobbies. And um, you said eight of the bedrooms would be used leaving two. How did you get eight?" I ask.

"Well, you're our leader. We kind of need you to move in. I put you in the head count for a bedroom. You don't have to move in right away, although I think you should. We need to start you on your training as soon as possible. With you training everyday, especially with school and working at Newtons, you'll be really tired and won't want to drive home. And about Newton's, you're gonna have to quit." I go to interrupt him but he put his hand up to stop me. "And before you say anything, we are well off in money. It's been handed down from generations. I'm actually in charge of the finances, so I put a lot of money in the stocks which has been profitable."

I smiled gratefully at my cousin. "I guess I can live with that. Although I would prefer to work for my own money, I can't turn down money that's been passed down. Now the only furniture that needs to be bought for the house is kitchen and dining room tables, TVs, beds, and anything else the others may want for their room. We should set a day aside to go shopping.

I hear a stomach growling and glance at Seth who looks back sheepishly. "Guilty," he mumbles.

"Let's order out. My treat." Leah offers.

* * *

After ordering Chinese, we sit around and watch TV for a while. When it hits ten o'clock at night, Leah and Seth call it a night and head home, on foot much to my protest. Nick went to the kitchen as soon as they left to grab his phone and call Charlie. He's going to tell him about getting the house and that we'll be staying for the night since his friends should be arriving tomorrow morning. I hope Charlie agrees because I want to get started on my training right away.

Nick comes back into the room holding his thumbs up. "Charlie's cool with it." Closing his eyes, I notice his features harden. In the time it took me to blink and open my eyes, his suitcases were in the living room. _Man, I don't think I'll ever get used to that._ Reaching into the suitcase, he pulls out a couple books and hands them to me. "Start reading these. When you're done, I'm going to quiz you on them."

Gulping, I take the books and open them. Blocking out the sounds around me, I focus all my attention onto them. I don't remember how much time has passes exactly, but I'm on page one hundred and sixteen out of five hundred and seven, when I hear the door open. "Hello?" A bell-like voice calls out.

"In here, Claire!" Nick calls from beside me. Startled, from the sudden sound beside me, I jump and blush.

I bookmark my page and sit it next to me. I stand up and brush the wrinkles out of my shirt. I watch nervously as everyone filled into the living room. I feel so out of place. And I really hope they like me.

 _No need to worry, Bella. We don't bite._ My eyes grew wide. Did I just…

 _Yeah, Bella Bear, you heard someone's thought. One of our powers is to communicate through our minds. Sort of like the Shape shifters but we have more control. We can actually block out the thoughts of others or cut ours off. Edward was never able to read your mind because this power blocks his gift, unless the guard is down. Then he can read anything in your mind._ Nick's voice was in my head. "I'm sorry I didn't say something sooner. I forgot," He apologizes.

"It's okay," I whisper. I'm somewhere in the middle of shock and awe.

"Alright, well, let's begin introductions." Nick changes the subject as he motions to the group before me.

"Hi, I'm Claire Hayward and this is my boyfriend, Stefan Caverly." The bell-like voice from earlier states. So she's the voice from earlier. She has long curly, caramel hair with blond highlights. She was definitely short and has the prettiest blue eyes. They reminde me of the sky. Stefan is a blond haired guy with messy medium length hair. His eyes match Claire's exactly.

I smile and wave before the next people introduced themselves. "I am Braden Burke and this is my fiancé, Haley Banks. We just got engaged a few days ago," he says more to Nick than to me.

Nick's confused faced lights up. _Congratulations, Brother,_ Nick thinks. Causing Braden and Haley to nod in thanks.

"Yes, congratulations. We will have to celebrate soon," I said to the both of them.

I turn my attention back to Braden and Haley, taking in their appearances. Braden's eyes seem tie-dyed. They are a light blue with a dark blue tint. His face is well rounded, not in a chubby way though. His blonde hair is layered and lays on his face perfectly. His fiancé is just as short as Claire. I wouldn't call her hair color carmel. It's a tad darker and has blond highlights. Her hair cascades down her back in long locks. And her eyes are a darker blue.

"Hey, my name is Zachary Stockwell and this," he motions to a man behind him, "is my partner Drew Gardner." Zachary has dirty blond hair, which is short and spiky. His eyes are an aqua blue. While his partner, Drew, has the same color eyes but slightly lighter. And Drew's hair is longer than Zachary's.

Three people start pushing against each other as they come in front of me. "We are the Snyder triplets. I am Nicole Snyder, this is Rachel Snyder, and then finally Ryan Snyder. Ryan is a womanizer so please don't fall for his charms. I want to warn you know." A hand comes out of nowhere and slaps the back the girl Nicole's head. I gasp at the harsh sound it makes. "Cut it out Ryan, you know I'm right," Nicole says glaring at him. Nicole and Rachel look exactly alike. I have a feeling I might have trouble telling them apart. They both have baby blue eyes and short, straight hair. Their hair is also caramel-like with a tiny bit of blond highlights. Ryan however, has a pompadour haircut. It's where the hair is clippered close on the sides and kept long and voluminous on top. It definitely screams player. "I'm Rayne Parker," is all the last guy says as the group turns to look at him. He has a lighter caramel colored hair. I look up into his eyes, mesmerized. They are baby blue with a gray tint around the edges. His hair is medium-length and some fall in front of his eyes like bangs. I take a look at everyone again. All of the guys look to be five foot five while the girls are about four foot ten. The guys definitely seem like they can all be Calvin Klein underwear models. Their bodies are well defined through their shirts. You can tell they are constantly working out. I notice the slight muscles the girls have whenever they shift and it makes their arms flex. It encourages me work hard when I train to get toned just like them. "It's nice to meet you all. Obviously, I am Nick's cousin, Isabella Swan. But please, call me Bella." I introduced myself. "It's really nice to finally be able to meet our future leader. We've heard much about you," Claire admits. I blush bright red and duck my head. "All good things, I hope." "Of course." "Well, I'm sure you'd all love to get settled in. Unfortunately, we don't have beds yet so the only sleepable furniture is the bay windows seat and the couch. I think we can all go shopping later for the stuff we need. I need to start catching up on things, so I'll head to the office this way the couch is open." I smile at everyone. "Sounds like a plan," Nick says with a clap. Everyone smiles and disperses. I can tell from meeting them that I will get along with every single person. I really can't wait to get to know them all better. I make my way to _my_ office with my books in my arms. I giggle quietly to myself as I think about getting my own office to sit in.

* * *

I wake up the next morning to loud banging. I groan when I realize it's only six in the morning. I get out of bed and head to my door. "What is all that racket?" I ask out loud to anyone that's listening. "We are moving furniture. We went to the twenty-four hour Wal-Mart in Port Angeles," Haley answers me as she zips by with a television in her arms. I watch as Braden easily carries a dresser into their room as if it weighs the same as a feather. I make my way downstairs to see if I can help with anything while rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. Sure enough, the front door is open and I can see Drew, Ryan and Rayne unloading an unfamiliar truck. Stefan, Zachary, and Nick are gathering the heavier things to carry while Claire, Rachel, and Nicole are gathering smaller things. I step off the porch and attempt to pick up a seventy-eight inch television. I lift it easily, much to my surprise. It barely weighs anything. Which I know isn't true. I know for a fact that that size television is heavy and difficult to lift, sometimes needing two people. "Um, where is this going?" Rayne looks up at me and smirks. "Feeling like the hulk today?" He winks. "It's going into the living room." I nod and hold back a giggle at his joke. I make my way into the house and place the television down by the back door. When I head back outside, there isn't anything left. I look around in shock, wondering where it all went. I know there was a lot when I first stepped out here. Nick appears behind me. "They used one of their spells to help get everything in when there wasn't any cars passing by. Let's go, it's time to quiz you," he says putting his hand on my back to turn me and led me back inside.

Nick takes me to the office he says is mine. There is a television now mounted on the wall and a small couch in the area I pictured while first touring. "Did you hear my thoughts when I pictured this in the office? Because it's exactly what I said should go here," I exclaim pointing to the couch.

"Yup. I was able to hear your thoughts before. Now, onto our quiz before you have to rush off to school." Nick changes the subject with a smile.

For the next half hour, I'm continuously quizzed on the many spells in the book. Nick only questions me on fifty spells and out of those fifty spells I only got eight wrong. _High five to me._ He believes I answered enough of them to "pass" his quiz. The next quiz I take will feature more spell books but also include previous spells I've read about to make sure the material is sticking. He also says that if I pass the next test as well, he's going to start teaching me how to actually do them. But in the meantime, while I'm studying, I'll also be training my body.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11)

Training to be a witch is harder than you think. You need to have confidence in yourself and great concentration. I've been able to master many spells since Nick and the others have begun teaching me two weeks ago. I still have a lot to learn before I become the leader, though.

My appearance did change like Nick said it would. My hair lightened to caramel from the dark brown it used to be. But there wasn't any highlights like the other girls. My height changed a lot. At first the pain wasn't too bad, but after a few hours I was in excruciating pain. I didn't shrink to the four foot ten Nick said I would. I ended up shrinking to be five foot one. You'd think three inches wouldn't be that bad but I'm telling you, it was killer. Nick thinks I stopped at five foot one because I was a female leader. He thinks as a leader, I have to be taller than the females and around the same height as the males in order for other people to respect me. His logic made some kind of sense… I guess.

I haven't been able to test my speed yet and it's something I look forward to. Nick says we are fast, but hasn't told me how fast. He says I can find out on my own. I texted Leah when I woke up and asked if she wanted to race tonight. She agreed eagerly. I'm not really sure what to expect, though. Will I be faster or slower?

I'm constantly working out with the guys. They have me punching bags and hitting dummies with various weapons to make sure I can hit a person if it ever turns out I cannot use my spells. Rayne says there are some witches out there who work with dark magic and try to perfect spells that affect the mind. Like breaking concentration or conjuring hallucinations in the mind.

I shake my head as I come back from my thoughts. I have to focus. It's a training session. I take a deep breath and face the wall where a dummy is propped up. Gripping the handle of the blade, I fling it at the dummy. With a small thud, it strikes the heart. I grimace. I cannot imagine this being another person. If it comes down to it, would I be able to go through hurting someone or even possibly killing them? I stride over to the dummy and rip the blade out. Today I had one of my training sessions. I take another deep breath and raise my hand getting ready to throw it when my phone rings.

Groaning, I lower the blade and drop it onto the mat below me. I sprint across the room and pick up my phone. My breath catches in my throat when I realize it's Edward.

 _Edward._ I haven't talked to him in two weeks. They've been in Alaska taking care of the rogue vampires. They are taking their time which doesn't make sense since they have the wolves. Hesitantly, I pick up the phone. "Hey, Edward," I say. I hear everyone upstairs stop what they are doing. Oh, I forgot to mention. I found out we also have super hearing like the wolves and vampires. It can get pretty annoying.

"Hi, Love. It's been awhile since I've heard your voice. I've tried calling a few times."

"I know. Just been busy with school," I breathed.

"Are you okay? You don't sound okay?" Edward questioned.

I bite my lip. "I'm just a little bit under the weather. Charlie has me staying home today and tomorrow," I lie. As much as I want to scream at him and tell him I don't want to talk to him. I can't. Because I do _want_ to talk to him. But I am also pissed off.

"Oh. I hope you feel better, though."

"Me too," I whisper.

"I was calling to let you know that they are insisting on bringing the Volturi in to help us. It's getting worse down here. Alice said that Aro would read one of our thoughts after he shakes our hands and find out about you. Which means putting you in danger. I don't want that."

I grow angry. Are they freaking kidding me? They are sitting here taking their time while having more attention growing by the second because of the rogue newborns. They need to be dealt with it or else the Volturi will stop in, with or without an invite. I begin to breath in and out through my nose. I can feel my face heating up and I knew I had to calm down. Nick said getting angry would cause more harm to me if I don't know all of the spells. If I get angry my mind could take over and mess with spells I don't even know. Which can backfire. "You need to take care of the vampires before Aro decides to step in without consent. Then you'll be in deep shit."

"Love, if I could-" Edward was cut off mid sentence by me.

"I said take care of it. Go do your thing. Then come home." I hang up without saying goodbye. I really need to hit something right now. I throw my phone across the room and it shatters against the wall. I move towards the punching back. Who does he think he is? _Punch._ He leaves without telling me. _Punch_. Then lies about it before telling the truth. _Punch._ And then keeps changing the time they are coming back. _Punch._ And why is this making me so fucking angry? One last punch and the bag flies off the hook, landing on the mat.

The silence upstairs annoys me. I'll just practice my dodging and weaving. "Nick, fight with me," I growl out. I need an even fight. Not one where I would always be the winner after punching the object that doesn't even fight back. I hear a few gulps as Nick comes downstairs. I pick up my stick that was leaning against the wall and kick the other one to him. "Don't go easy on me," I demand.

Without a word, Nick nods as he picks up the stick and lunges at me. I pull mine up, blocking his and ducking under it to swipe at his feet. He easily jumps over my legs and pulls back his stick to strike again. Our sticks hit each other's with a loud thwack. It vibrates off the walls. I can feel the tension in my muscles start going down. I'm beginning to relax. The anger is dissipating. Yet, I'm not done fighting with Nick. I want to show him I am ready to finish my training. I am ready to lead. It's time to end this quickly.

Nick steps back and then moves forward again with the stick aimed at hitting my side. I act as if I don't see it. But at the last second, I jump as it got close to my side and quickly came back down using my thighs to trap it. I twist as soon as I have it in between my legs. This causes Nick to fall over. I land on my side and roll into a crouch. I lunge at Nick and put the stick against his neck. "I win," I pant while saying.

There's a clap from the stairs. I look over to see Rayne smiling proudly. "Yes, you do win. Nick how does it feel to be beaten by your cousin?" I smile brightly and toss my stick to the side as I hold my hand out to Nick.

He rolls his eyes and takes my outstretched hand to get up. "Good job, Bella Bear. I think we can say you've done enough physical training. Now it's time to finish learning the last of the spells. I'm going to teach you how to heal yourself." Rayne tosses Nick a knife. I watched as Nick slices his palm. Within seconds, it's healed as if nothing happened. "Healing small wounds like this is easy and barely takes any concentration. When it comes to bigger wounds, it's possible you might need another person to help you. You really need to concentrate when you are healing yourself or someone else. We'll start small for today. Here," Nick holds out the knife to me.

I cautiously take the knife from him. I run my fingers along the blade then handle, admiring the craftsmanship. _The handle is handmade. Is this blade hand made to?_

 _Yeah, my grandfather made it. Passed it down to my dad who passed it along to me._ Rayne thinks to me.

I smile at the family tradition. I place the blade against my skin. I wondered if it would hurt. Will it feel like a papercut? I wince slightly as I slice my skin open and the air hits the opened wound. I watch the blood ooze out of my cut and quickly recognize the rusty smell. I instantly worry about fainting. I have never been good with blood before. But I'm surprised when the nausea never comes. "Um, now what?" I question.

"Now, I want you to concentrate and say the healing spell in your head. Remember the healing spell from the last book you read?"

I nod and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. I exhale slowly before inhaling again. Doing this allows me to clear my mind so I can concentrate better. _Oh, great goddess of the moon; Please heal this body you gave birth to. Let this energy flow into the wound and heal it right._

 _Neither scar nor pain in sight._ I recite the healing spell as I picture the wound on my hand stop bleeding and begin to close up. I reopen my eyes to see the wound completely healed. I'm beaming by the time I look at Nick.

 **Rayne's POV**

I watch in awe as Bella heals herself. She's a fast learner, much faster than any of my brothers or sisters. Claire took five months training to be a witch. Ryan took eight months. I, myself, took up to a year training. Where Bella is at now, I didn't get to that point until my sixth month. She's only been training for two weeks. It's no wonder why she's set to take over as leader. She has the blood of two witches flowing in her- meaning she's a natural.

"Well done. But I think it's time to call it a day. If I remember correctly, you promised a certain wolf friend of yours a race," I wink at her.

I love seeing her blush. It's very cute. "Yeah, I better get going," she announces as she gathers the broken remains of her phone. She gracefully run up the stairs. It's hard to believe that she was ever a klutz. Nick has told me so many stories about her clumsiness.

"She's progressing quickly." I state bluntly.

Nick sighs. "Yeah, and I think it's due to the vampires and wolves she knows. She's getting angrier with them. It's egging her on to do the best she can. I got to admit it though, I do like that." He picks up his and Bella's stick and leans it against the wall. "I'm just afraid of what will happen when they finally do come back. I don't want her to get hurt."

"I understand. But we can't take that choice from her. It's hers to make. We just have to be there for her." I pat Nick on the shoulder and start heading upstairs. I can heard him following me. "Say, don't you think it's about time she got her tattoo? She's one of us. Hell, she's going to be the leader of us. Bella should get it now," I suggest.

I hear Nick hum. "Yeah, I suppose. I'll ask her about it when she gets home. I need to call Charlie and let him know she's staying the night again." When we reach the stairs I go to raid the fridge while Nick gets onto the phone. Nick's been planning to tell Charlie the truth. He doesn't want to lie to him about anything anymore. He's always admired Charlie since he was younger.

I hear him take a deep breath as the phone rings. " _Hello?"_ Comes through the phone. I grab the stuff to make a sandwich. _Nick, do you want one?_ I ask him through our connection.

Nick nods to me before turning his attention back to Charlie. "Hey, Uncle Charlie. It's Nick. I was just calling because Bella fell asleep while doing homework. I was going to see if it's okay for her to stay the night again?" Nick's heart starting to race. He's getting nervous.

" _Sure, no problem, son."_ When Nick doesn't answer right away, Charlie seems concerned. " _Everything alright, Nick?"_ The worry laces in Charlie's voice.

"No, nothing's wrong. I was just wondering if I could stop by and talk to you after work tomorrow." I watch Nick begin to pace around the kitchen as I make the sandwiches.

" _Alright. I'll be home around six tomorrow. Does that work for you?"_ Charlie asks.

"Yeah, that's great. Thanks Uncle Charlie." Nick sighs with relief.

" _No problem, kid. Now get some sleep."_

Nick hangs up the phone and sits on the bar stool for the island. I pass him his plate and we eat in silence.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12)

 **Bella's POV**

I meet Leah at her house where she and Seth are waiting for me on the porch. "You're late, vamp girl!" Leah shouts as she jumps up.

"Only by a minute!" I yell back as I skip up to the steps. I face Seth. "I'm assuming you will be the referee?"

Seth nods excitedly. "Yeah! But I wish I'm racing, too." He pouts a little bit. Leah and I laugh at him as we stand next to each other on the path leading into the woods. Seth whines as he says, "First one to the border and back to me wins. That's how we determine who is the fastest of the two."

Leah leans forward ready to phase as soon as Seth gives the go. I crouch low hoping it will give me some type of advantage. "Ready to eat dust?" I mock.

She rolls her eyes. "You wish."

"Alright. On your marks. Get set. Go!" As soon as Seth said 'Go', Leah phases as we both shoot off into the woods. Leah's paws hitting the wet ground are very soft and barely heard. I'm surprised I'm even able to hear them. I'm even more surprised that I'm able was to keep up with her. I heard that wolves are just as fast as vampires, possibly even faster.

I push my legs to go faster as I sense the edge of the La Push border. I smirk when Leah lets out a disbelieved bark. She growls when she sees me reach the border and turn around. I smile brightly as I pass her on my way back to Seth, egging her on.

At one point, Leah and I become neck and neck because I slowed a bit. I think about using my powers to trip her up, but I figure that's cheating. I want a fair win or loss. Whatever it is that happens, I know I'll take it in pride. I concentrate on zoning out the sounds of the forest. I block out the chirping of the birds and the running of the river. Being able to block out everything else allows me to focus on my legs. I will my legs to go faster. I am going to beat Leah. Which means I'll faster than both vampire and wolf.

As I break through the trees and come to a halt beside Seth I turn to wait for Leah. About a minute later she sprints through the trees, panting. I grab her clothes off the porch and bring them over to her. She gently takes them from my hands with her teeth. "Looks like I'm faster, Leah!" I gloat. She rolls her eyes and trots off into the woods.

"Knock off that gloating or else I'm going to let the memory slip of you now being faster than us next time I phase. I wonder if they will come home right away?" Leah says in a teasing tone as she came out from behind a tree. "I kept my thoughts tamed as I raced you, but it will be easy to show them my memories of you."

"Alright! Alright! I'll stop." I laugh while holding my hands up in surrender and turn to Seth. "Wanna race?" I ask cheekily.

"Yes!" He shouts eagerly and fist pumps the air. He runs off into the woods to phase and comes back to stand beside me.

"Don't forget. You can't think about it. They cannot know." I say pointedly. Seth barks in agreement. "Leah? Can you count us off?" I ask nicely while batting my eyelashes.

"Sure, but we all know who will win now." Leah winks. I crouch once again next to Seth this time as he mimics me. I bet he thinks being phased before it starts will give him an advantage. "One…" I lean forward in anticipation. "Two…" I place my hand on the ground hoping it would help me. "Three…" I glance at an excited Seth. I hope he trips himself up in his own excitement. "Go!"

I spring forward into the woods without looking to see where Seth is. I keep all of the sounds blocked out as I propelled myself to through the woods. When I reach the border, I turn around and head back to Leah. I watch in amazement as trees zoom by. I begin weaving in and out of trees that get in my way.

When I break through the trees, Leah stands there, shocked. She follows me with her eyes until I stop right beside her. I turn and wait for Seth. Minutes go by and still no sign of him. When I glance at Leah, she's still looking at me in shock. "What?" I question her.

"You- you were only gone for two minutes before you came back here. That is five times faster than our first run. If I am right, Seth should be here in thirty seconds." We face to the woods and I count in my head. Sure enough, when thirty seconds hit, Seth comes through the trees panting hard. He lolled up next to me and lay down.

"I was really that fast?" I ask Leah, confused.

She nods. "It's like when you were running with me, it was practice. Like a warm up." Leah snorts. "Let's go. Seth go phase back. Mom made dinner."

Leah and I head into the house while Seth goes back into the woods to phase and change. I say hello to their mother as we move into the kitchen. Their mother made a chicken casserole for dinner and my mouth watered just at the smell.

 **~*Destiny*~**

After a long night's sleep, I wake up to find the house empty. It's a Sunday, so everyone is probably out doing his or her own thing. Looking at my phone, I saw today's date. There's only a couple months left of school before summer hits. Then we have summer vacation before my senior year starts up. I wasn't sure what everyone was going to be doing when that happened. Are they in college? Are they still in high school? I wasn't sure. Shouldn't Nick be in college by now? He is a few years older than me.

I head downstairs and make myself something to eat. After breakfast, I go to the basement to practice with the weapons again. I decide to pick up the daggers and throw them at the targets on the wall. As I am throwing the daggers, I hear footsteps upstairs. Assuming people are starting to come back home, I keep to myself down here.

Around dinnertime I make my way back upstairs. I'm happy with myself that I'm able to hit the target every time. They would be instant kills if I were to ever battle any supernatural being besides a vampire and can't use my spells. Drew and Zachary are sitting at the island sharing a meal. They're whispering in each other's ears, causing me to look away to give them privacy.

I walk into the living room to find Braden and Haley cuddling on the couch watching a movie with Nick and Rayne. Nick looks up and smiles at me before grabbing the remote control and clicking pause. Rayne whines at the fact it got paused and when he looks up and sees me he stops. "Bella!" He says excitedly as he gets off the couch.

Nick stands up too, stretching. "Bella Bear, we think it's time to get the coven's tattoo. You've earned it." Nick's beaming by the time he meets me in the doorway. Braden and Haley perk up at the announcement of a tattoo. They quickly get up and join us in the doorway.

"Okay. So that means I'm officially apart of the coven when I receive it right?"

Nick and Rayne share a look, confusing me. Braden and Haley smile very big. "Yeah, it means you are officially in the coven. But, it also means you get to take your place as leader." Nick's biting his lip as he looks at me. It's obvious he's nervous about my reaction.

My jaw drops slightly as I look at each of them. "Are you sure I am ready for that?" I suddenly get nervous. Am I ready to lead? I'm practically done with my training. All of a sudden everyone's in the living room.

"You are so ready, Bella!" Claire exclaims.

"You've got this," says Ryan.

"We are happy to follow your lead," Drew encourages.

I'm shocked. How could they want me? Why me when Nick was already leading over them way longer than I've known? I'm not that special. What if I mess up as leader? What if I'm not good enough? So many questions and doubt fill my head.

 _Bella Bear, everything will be okay. We are here for you if it ever gets overwhelming. You can handle this. You are granddaughter of Marie Higginbotham and Helen Swan. Both are witches. You have the blood of two major witch families in your blood._ Nick talks directly to me in my head. Hearing that makes me feel more confident in myself. I have two different witch bloodlines running through my veins. And he said they are both major witch families. Being together must have been the best thing that could happen. I can do this.

I hold my head up high and smile. "I'm ready for my tattoo. Let's go."

Nick leads me to the kitchen where I sit on a stool by the island. Nick holds out his hand and I looked at him confused. "Oh, sorry. I didn't explain. I need to hold your hand and I will project the tattoo onto you with a spell. It will tingle and sting a bit. Once done, it will appear on your hip. It will be small. After today, it will only appear when you use magic otherwise it is invisible to the naked eye." Nick pauses and looks up at me. "Which side would you like it on?" He asks.

I place my hand in his. "My right side, please." Nick nods as stays quiet. Everyone is watching with eager eyes. As a few seconds tick by, I begin to feel a tingling sensation go from my hand and up my arm to my shoulder. Then it travels down my spine and stops on the right side of my hip. The stinging sensation takes over and I lift my shirt to see the tattoo forming on my hip. It's a circle that appears first and a star then forms in the middle of it. On either side of the circle are two crescent moons. I stare in awe. It's a beautiful, yet simple tattoo that definitely matches the coven of witches I've come to know.

Nick and I grin at each other. "Welcome to the coven, leader." Nick says with a slight bow of his head. I look around and see everyone give a slight bow of their own.

I begin blushing bright red. "Please don't bow to me. And please do not call me leader if it isn't necessary. Just Bella is fine." Nick lifts his shirt slightly to watch his tattoo fade. I notice the difference between our tattoos then. His tattoo doesn't have the crescent moons like mine does. I wonder if that's a leader thing? His tattoo fades and he drops his shirt.

 **Nick's POV**

When everyone settles back into what they were doing before, I put my shoes on and call out, "Alright guys, I'll be back. I have some errands to run."

I hope Bella won't get made at me for telling Charlie but he deserves to know. And he deserves to know why she will no longer be in his house. She's going to have to move in now that she's officially sworn in as leader. I stop to grab something to eat at the diner for Charlie and I. When I step inside and head up to the counter, I notice a girl in the back booth of the diner. I can sense her constantly staring at me. When I shift to look at her and catch her, she giggles and looks down at her plate. I roll my eyes, annoyed.

I place my order with the girl named Mackenzie. While waiting, I catching the girl in the booth a couple more times. She finally gets the nerve to stand up and walk over to me. "Hi, I'm Lauren." She says in a nasally voice. I mentally groan. Dear god. Can't this girl leave me alone in peace? I ignore as Mackenzie comes back with the order slip in her hand. I move over to the register while pulling my wallet out. The girl huffs and pouts before moving back to her table. I leave the restaurant as soon as my food is done and head to my vehicle without a backwards glance.

I pull up at Charlie's house and take a deep breath. I get out of the car and knock on the door once before entering. "Hello? Uncle Charlie?" I call out as I step inside the doorway and kick my shoes off.

"In the kitchen!" I hear Charlie yell. When I step into the kitchen, I find Charlie leaning in the fridge, When he stands up he's holding a beer. "What's up, kiddo? What did you need to talk about?" Charlie questions as I place the diner bag on the .

I grab the food out while my uncle grabs two plates. "What I have to tell you is important and I need you to keep an open mind." I wait for Charlie to nod for me to continue. "There are things in the world that many people do not know of. It is kept a secret from the world for a reason."

"Okay, I'm listening." Charlie picks up his container and opens it.

I sigh. "The horror stories about vampires, werewolves, witches and what not are true. Hollywood has exaggerated the tales but the supernatural does exist." I take a deep breath. "Uncle Charlie, you are apart of the supernatural. You are a witch just like I am."

"How- What are you-" Charlie doesn't get a chance to finish before I start back up.

"The Higginbotham side of the family are witches and so are the Swan's. Your mother kept the secret from you because your powers lie dormant and never came out. So when you and Aunt Renee had Bella, your families witch line went down to her. She became a pure blood witch. That's why she looks different now. We weren't going to tell you at first, but things are going to be changing. Bella became the leader of our group today because of the blood of two witches in her." I pause and rub my head. "Uncle Charlie, she has to come live with us. She isn't going to age because her powers came out. She will stay seventeen forever. We do have a spell that makes us look like we are aging to fool people. It's a way we can stay in a place for so long." I grow quiet. How will he cope with this? There's so much more I have to tell him. I hope I didn't push him over the edge just yet.

"A witch? My daughter? A leader? I'm a witch? Stop aging? But what about me?" Charlie keeps spitting out questions and I can hear his thoughts going haywire.

"Uncle Charlie," I start as I place a hand on his arm. "Yes, Bella is a witch who is now our leader. Yes, you are a witch. Bella stopped aging because her powers became active while you will age because your powers did not become active. The witch powers skip a generation in your family, which is why you never learned of your true heritage. Would you like me to prove I am a witch?" I ask hesitantly.

Charlie stares at me for a moment before nodding. I concentrate on the beer can. I think about the beer being refilled for him without chanting a spell in my mind. That's the best thing about being a witch for this long. "Okay." Was all Charlie says when he picks up the now full can.

I look over at my uncle a little nervous. "Uncle Charlie, Bella needs to come live with us. She needs to be in a house full of witches who can help protect her and help her control her powers. We don't want you or her to get hurt because she is unprotected."

Charlie glances into my eyes with sadness. "As long as she is okay with it and you promise she can visit me, she can live with you. I will make some stops at the house to make sure no one is drinking illegally, okay? I want to trust you. I don't want to be lied to."

"I promise, Charlie. I'd never keep your daughter away from you." We get up and hug each other.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13)

 **Edward's POV**

We have been busy with the rogue vampires and constantly on our toes. We found out a lot about them. They were a bunch of newborns. Some were older- mainly ones with powers who are worth something to their leader. A man named Kyle was leading them. Jasper believes they are a newborn army trying to get ready for the south.

Alice has not been able to see Bella's future for a while. I have wanted to go back many times. But Jacob assured me Bella was hanging out with Leah and Seth and that they are safe. Seth had told them back when they were still talking. They have not heard from them in a while, too. I assume they are angry they were left behind or that they did not need to patrol since there are no threats. But I was glad she was being taken care of.

I sigh and began pacing back and forth upstairs as I wait clear my thoughts of the last few weeks. It has been longer than what I told Bella and I have not been able to call and apologize. We have not talked since the day she told me to get rid of the vampires before the Volturi steps in.

Tomorrow, we will be finally taking out the vampires, so hopefully that means we can go home in a couple days. I just want to hold Bella in my arms and tell her how much I love her. It has been a pain not being near her for this long.

Edward, honey, calm down. You're going to wear out the floorboards by pacing so much! Esme scolds through her thoughts. If only she felt like I felt. She's with her mate, not separated like I am.

Billy said Charlie has been coming over without Bella, and when he asks about her, he changes the subject and seems upset. I wonder what's going on with Bella? Is she upset because we aren't there? Jacob is thinking to himself. He must forget I can hear him.

I wonder what would happen if we move in on the vampires tonight. Can we be home by tomorrow? Alice is thrown into a vision and I cannot help but be sucked in.

My family, along with the Denali's and wolf pack, stand beside one another in a line. We are waiting for the arrival of the rogue vampires. Sam thought it was a good idea for Carlisle to get some donated blood and smear it on the trees. Sam believes the newborns will go crazy for thirst and come after it, causing the older ones and leader to follow after them.

I smirk as I start hearing voices in my head crazy with bloodlust. It worked. I lower myself into a crouch, signaling to my friends and family the red eyes are coming. One by one we all get into our fighting stances. I'm smiling internally as the first couple vampires fly into the field and freeze.

Those animals are huge. Why are they standing there with vampires? A blonde woman thinks as she cocks her head to the side.

A couple more run into the field and straight into the ones that are frozen in place. I sense the older vampires and leader as they join the rest of vampires before us. Some showed curiosity towards our eyes, while others thought of our deaths.

"Fellow vampires, you have drawn too much attention here where we reside. I think it's time you move on," Eleazar states while motioning to his family.

The black haired man, who has leader rolling off of him in both thoughts and vibes, steps to the front while chuckling. All eyes turn to him. "You think you can take on my newborn army, Veggies? Good luck with that."

Eleazar takes in a deep breath and lets it out harshly. "Then we shall end you right here and now." Taking his first step forward, we follow behind him attacking the closes vampires.

Alice comes out of the vision with a smile. "Let's do it. We win with only a few injuries. No one dies on our end and we can leave as soon as we are done." She says seriously.

I beam back at Alice and nod as we head downstairs to the others.

 **Bella's POV**

Many weeks have gone by since I've gotten my tattoo and became the leader. A lot has changed as well. Charlie knows about witches thanks to Nick. I honestly can't thank him enough. School has a month and a half left before we are let out for summer vacation. I'm really excited to have the summer with my new family.

I am officially moved into the house and making tons of decisions for our coven. Some are very easy while others a little difficult. But it always works out in the end. I haven't spoken to the Cullen's for a while. They haven't called or text, none of them, so I didn't bother trying to reach out to them. Even if they were that busy, you would think my boyfriend would have called. But he didn't. That is one thing that makes me mad. He is probably enjoying his time with Tanya. I think her name with a sneer.

I hang out with Leah and Seth whenever I'm working with my coven. Sometimes I would go to their house and sometimes they would come here. If Leah isn't hanging out with me, she's all over Nick. The two of them can't get enough of each other. It's kind of sickening, yet cute. But when I wasn't hanging out with them, I work on becoming a better witch. I still train all the time, even though the others say I've masters pretty much everything. But I want to make sure I was at my best and I could protect my coven if anything were to happen. I know my coven can take care of themselves but I am their leader now. I worry about them.

Braden and Haley have decided to have their wedding on May eighteenth, which means it will be in a few days. Things have been crazy in the house. Haley asked Claire to be her maid of honor. Which leaves Rachel, Nicole, and I as bridesmaids. Stefan is Braden's best man. Rayne will be conducting the ceremony. Of course Zachary, Drew, Ryan, and Nick are apart of the wedding party. And because Haley lost her parents, Nick offered to walk Haley down the aisle. Which she gratefully accepted.

Haley already has her dress picked out and in her closet. Might I say, it is breathtaking. It is a strapless dress with lace. All of the girls have dresses for the wedding, too. Haley decided on a pale yellow dress that only has one shoulder strap. The men will be wearing a black tuxedo with a pale yellow shirt to match the dresses.

I am currently getting ready for a trip to Port Angeles with the girls. We'll be going shopping for little things for the small backyard wedding. Alice would be so proud. A sharp pain shoots through my body and into my heart. I place my hand over it and rub. I shouldn't think about them right now. It's going to hurt more if they aren't coming back. That's what it seems like. Like they left me all over again. I clench my jaw and breath through my nose to keep me from tearing up at the thought.

Putting my hair into a ponytail, I make my way downstairs. "Is everyone ready?" I ask. "Because you better hurry. We still need to pick up Leah." The girls answer me by filing out of the kitchen and into the foyer. Nicole is bouncing on her feet. "Let's take the Range Rover. It will have enough room for everyone and the bags. Rachel, want to drive?"

Gosh, this Range Rover is the best truck I've ever had. Nick convinced me to get rid of my old chevy. At first I was skeptical. I really loved that truck. It was my first vehicle but the slow drives were starting to get to me. And the thought of a new truck grew on me. Finally, I went with him to the dealership where we signed for my new black Range Rover.

Rachel's eyes light up and she holds her hand out for the keys. "Yes, please!"

I direct Rachel on how to get to La Push while I text Leah to tell her we were on our way over. The drive only takes about fifteen minutes. When we pull up, Leah comes out of her house carrying a small wallet. She stuffs it into her jeans as she opens the backdoor and hops in. With Leah in the car, we start our trip to Port Angeles.

 **Seth's POV**

I watch through the window as my sister gets into the truck with Bella and her coven of witches. Even though I know and trust Bella, I don't trust her coven yet. And I especially don't trust that guy Nick who my sister imprinted on. They haven't been together long enough and they are already so attached. Leah's thought about leaving the reservation to move in with him. What would happen if she did that? Would that mean she's out of the pack?

The pack. They've been gone a month now. I wonder how they are doing out there. Have they killed any vampires? Is anyone hurt? When is everyone coming home? I sigh when I see the shiny black truck pull away. Maybe I should call them? Yeah, I should. I'll see when they are coming home.

I pick up the house phone and dial Sam's number. "Hello?" Sam asks sleepily into the phone.

"Hey Sam, it's Seth."

"Hey, little wolf. What's up? How's everything in La Push? It's been awhile since you checked in with me." Sam throws out there as I hear him get up and stretch. A door opens in the background before closing again. Maybe so he doesn't wake anyone up?

I move to sit at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal. "Everything is good. I was just wondering when you guys were coming home?"

Sam clicks his tongue. "We actually finished the job today. Earlier than everyone planned. Right now the pack and the Cullen's are packing their stuff while I was taking a nap. I haven't been able to sleep lately. I miss being away from Emily which has made me a little depressed at night. But anyway, we are leaving in a half hour. We should get home in about four or five hours."

I rub the back of my neck. It's eleven in the morning right now so they should be arriving right before dinnertime then. "Well, in that case. Meet me at my house. And bring the Cullen's. I want to talk to you all about something that happened while you were away."

"Is someone in danger?" Sam questions with concern.

"No, it's just some information I wish to share with everyone." I sigh and close my eyes. Sorry Bella, but I'll have to warn them. I can't let them get blindsided like I did.

"Alright, Seth. We'll meet you at your house," Sam states as he hangs up the phone.

I slip the spoon into my bowl and bring it to my mouth. As I take a bite, all I can think is, I hope I made the right choice.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14)

 **Bella's POV**

Shopping with the girls is actually nice and enjoyable. They don't badger me into every outfit there is. They actually let me make my own decision on what I want to try on, unlike Alice where she wants me to try on everything while ignoring my lack of consent. We spend quite a few hours in Port Angeles before we are ready to head home.

With a couple cute outfits each, we are all set for the start of summer. I can't wait to wear them. I actually picked out a couples dresses, skirts, shorts, jeans, and shirts. The jeans and shirts people would expect. But the other stuff, not so much. No one ever really saw me in that stuff besides the Cullen's when Alice would play Bella Barbie. Cue eye roll.

When it came to shoes, I wanted to stick with sneakers or boots because I don't want to test my luck with heels just yet. I know I'm more graceful now, but I don't want to take the risk. Rachel and Nicole, however, insisted on me getting a couple pairs of heels. For once, I let in.

Arriving in Forks, I drop Rachel, Nicole, Claire, and Haley off at the house, so they can take everything in and start unpacking. But I doubt they'll do it with their hands. I apologize to Leah as we pull away from my house to head to La Push. I know we are going to be cutting it close to dinnertime and I'd hate to make her late for Sue's home cooked meals.

 ***Seth's POV***

I'm laying on my porch with my head propped up by my hands, when I hear the others getting close. Smiling, I stand up eagerly, ready to welcome my brothers back. Then I remember what I want to talk to them about. I quickly run my hands up and down on my face. _God, how do I explain this to them?_ I hope Bella won't be mad at me. I really hope she understands.

Everyone emerges from the woods and stops in front of me. "Hey, guys. Nice to see you again." I say softy.

"Hey, Seth." Sam replies shifting from foot to foot. I can tell he doesn't want to be here right now. He'd rather be with Emily. "What is it you wanted to talk about?"

Sighing, I decide to start off light. "First off, Leah imprinted."

Sam sucks in a sharp breath as a few people gasp. "With who?" Flies quickly from Paul's mouth.

"I'll get to that later. I kind of used that as a breaker. What I really want to talk about it Bella." A few eyebrows rise as I mention her name. "Well, you see, the thing is, Bella is different from the last time you've seen her."

"What do you mean different?" Jacob questions before I can get another word in.

"From what I've told you Jake, you know she's been hanging out with Leah and I. She's really fun to hang out with. Either she hangs out with us in La Push, or we hang out at her place with her cousin and his friends. Man, her new house is really nice," I blurt out without thinking.

"Her house?" Edward yells in disbelief.

 _Shit._ "I shouldn't say it's her house. I mean, she lives there and all, but it's not in her name. He cousin Nick bought it. He's a pretty cool guy and we get along okay. We would probably get along better if he wasn't my sister's imprintee."

Paul scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Greaaat. So Jake is after one Swan while Leah is now after another Swan."

A growl passes through both the lips of Edward and Jake. I shake my head though. "Nick isn't a Swan. He's related to Bella through her mom's side. But anyway, back to Bella. Since she's been hanging around us, I'm sure Alice hasn't been able to see her." I glance at Alice and see her nod before I continue. "Then that means no one has seen her since she changed. Okay, now when I say change, I really mean she changed. Like a lot. I don't know Bella before you guys left, but what I remember from Jacob's memories when he was phased, she was a shy girl. She isn't that shy anymore. She's very confident and says what's on her mind. Her appearance has changed as well." Before I can stop myself, I'm flooded by a memory.

 _A knock on the door makes me get up from the couch. I groan as my sore muscles stretch. "Coming!" I shout to the front door._

 _Pulling open the door, I come face to face with Bella freaking Swan. Being the teenager I am, I can't stop myself from gawking at her once again. Her perfect curves. Plump, perky breasts. Small height as her head stops right above my elbow. Her lightly colored hair. When I look at her face, I'm greeted with her perfect white teeth, smiling brightly. Her icy blue eyes hold a playfulness to them as she realizes I was checking her out._

" _Ready to go out?" Her musical voice asks._

" _Y-Yeah, Leah is finishing up in the bathroom. She'll be right out. Where's Nick?" I ask as I usher her inside._

 _Bella's long caramel colored hair swishes from side to side as she walks through the threshold. "Oh, he's waiting in the car. He's really excited to be going bowling. Nice idea, by the way. You just gave me a way to embarrass him. He cannot bowl to save his life. He hasn't realized Leah is coming though. I'm sure he'll freak out and I can't wait for him to get embarrassed in front of her," She giggles and punches my shoulder lightly._

 _I laugh loudly as I push her gently. "You mean Nick isn't as perfect as Leah makes him out to be? He actually has flaws! And it's the easiest game in the world." Bella nods her head as her eyes shine with happiness. Leah emerges from the bathroom which makes Bella bound up to her. They both embrace each other in a hug. With their difference in height, it was hard to keep a straight face. We were always getting strange looks because Bella is so short now. I never really asked her how short she was, but it is pretty freaking short. Maybe I should ask her sometime._

Edward's gasp pulls me out of my memory. My eyes grow wide as I realize what I just released. I wasn't planning on letting him see her in my thoughts. I was just going to warn them and let them find out on their own. Shit, Bella really _is_ going to kill me. Edward stares at me with questioning eyes. "Yeah, that's really her. I told you she changed." I confirm in a small voice. Suddenly I feel guilty..

"What are you talking about?" Alice asks. "What do you mean changed?"

"Bella has blue eyes and light brown colored hair." Edward answers not breaking eye contact with me.

"Like she dyed her hair and got contacts?" Rosalie inquires as she rolled her eyes.

"No." I state.

Everyone turns to me with puzzled looks. "What do you mean no?" Comes from Jacob.

"I mean, she didn't dye her hair or get contacts-"

"I'm not following," Emmett interrupts.

"If you'd let me finish-" However, I don't get to finish as I hear a vehicle approaching. My eyes grow wide. No! They shouldn't be home this early. "Shit!" I panic.

"What's going on?" Jared asks.

"Bella's here!" I state frantically. "Her and Leah are about to pull into our driveway. You need to hide right now. She can't see you yet." I begin shoving at Sam, trying to get him to hide in the woods. Hopefully if Sam moves, the others will too.

"Why do we need to hide? It's Bella Boo! She loves us!" Emmett sings happily.

"Not right now. She is angry and upset with you guys leaving and changing when you were coming back. Please," I beg. "Please just hide in the woods until she's gone. She's just dropping Leah off."

I look at Edward with pleading eyes, hoping he understands what I'm trying to get at. "Okay. Okay, let's hide." He agrees while motioning everyone into the woods. I sigh in relief as they disappear into the trees.

 ***Bella's POV***

As we pull into the Clearwater's driveway, Leah stiffens. "He didn't," She growls.

"Didn't what?" I ask a little confused. I stop the truck and put it into park.

"Bella, stay in the truck." Leah instructs as she opens the door. She quickly steps out and slams the door shut.

Of course, I don't listen and Leah groans as I step out of the truck as well. "Can't you just listen to me just this once," She whines.

I stick my tongue out at her playfully. "Nope." I smile as I spot Seth sitting on the porch. "Hey, Seth!" I greet cheerfully and wave. "Man, you should have come with us. There were tons of pretty girls you could hav-" I stop midway as I notice the tension between brother and sister.

Leah is having an intense stare down with Seth. He won't make eye contact with her, which makes me a little curious. Has he done something to her stuff? What's going on? Seth's head lowers and nods as if he's answering a silent question of Leah's. "Are you out of your mind!" She shouts at the top of her lungs. It makes me jump since I wasn't expecting it. I looked at her dumbfounded.

"I'm sorry." Seth whispers dejectedly to Leah.

"Don't apologize to me!" Leah snaps at him and lunges. She phases before her feet even hits the ground.

Seth takes a step back, and throws out an "I'm so sorry, Bella.", before phasing himself.

A snapping of a twig makes my head snap to the forest. I can't see anything with my new eyesight, so I brush it off. It was probably a small animal. Leah, however, growls fiercely. Furrowing my brows, I looked between Leah and Seth. Her hostile position starts getting me thinking.

Then it dawns on me and I took a step back in retreat to my truck. "T-They are here. Aren't they?" I choke out.

Leah looks at me sympathetically while Seth hangs his head in shame. I hear the footsteps hitting the ground before I can comprehend them. Wide-eyed, my head snaps to the edge of the forest. The pack and the Cullen's emerge slowly. Curious faces scan mine. A few gasps fade with the wind. Undoubtedly shocked at my new appearance. I mean, I am shorter since they last seen me. And my eyes and hair were different, too.

My eyes flash in anger before turning to Seth with accusation. He whines and lowers his head to the ground. "How could you?" I scold him. He whines again as my blazing eyes stare him down.

"Bella?" Alice takes a step towards me. She stops short when Leah moves to crouch in front of me. The sadness in Alice's eyes almost made me forget why I was mad. It almost made me run forward and hug them. _Almost_. But they left and I was mad. And upset. How could they have left me and forget to call? How could they constantly change their plans without thinking of me?

This time Edward moves forward. Upon seeing him, an intense pain shoots down my spine and settles at my tattoo. "Love?" He questions while extending his hand towards me. I flinched away as the pain flares around my tattoo. Not only am I feeling this pain from my tattoo, but my chest starts to feel like it's constricting. When the pain starts being too much too handle, I pull my arms around my midsection. Much like I did when he first left me. Edward sucks in a sharp breath. He knows that motion all too well since I've done it in front of him a couple times when he first came back. I glance at Leah and catch her eye. I sends her an apologetic smile as she nods back.

In a split second, I turn and book it towards my truck. Everyone is so shocked at my sudden movement that they didn't move at first. I don't know if they are shocked I ran away from them, or if it's because I didn't trip. However, as soon as I get into my truck and start it, they begin to process I am leaving. They start moving from their spots when I peel out of the driveway as fast as I can.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Sorry for all the POV changes right now, but it's crucial that everyone see's the different perspectives. In a few chapters it will calm back down to one person. Please bare with me. But if you like the different POV changes let me know._**

 ** _-KarleighAnn._**

* * *

Chapter 15)

 **Edward's POV**

We begin to go after Bella, but Leah jumps in front of us with a growl. Don't you dare! The anger behind her words stops me in my tracks. She stands in front of us with her teeth bared. The rest of the pack phase into their wolf forms, so it is easier to talk to Leah.

Leah? What's going on? Jacob is confused. The rest of the pack is running through their memory trying to figure out if that was really Bella or just a hallucination. Only to conclude that it is her and she really did change.

You will leave her alone. Do you understand me? You do not deserve her forgiveness. Leah snaps before rushing off into the woods. She is seething.

Oh my god, Bella! She's so different. Why did she run away from us? Is she really that mad? Alice thinks.

My sweet child! Esme exclaims. She looks so beautiful.

I wonder why she decided to change. But wait, Seth said she isn't wearing contacts and she didn't dye her hair. Did she medically change her eye color? Did she tattoo them? Carlisle thinks as he winces of the thought of tattooing her own eyes.

My legs finally decide to move. I am not going to listen to Leah. I am going after Bella whether she likes it or not. "I need to make sure she's okay." I mumble out loud to no one in particular. I sprint off in the direction her car is heading when I hear the others behind me. They are agreeing with me, that they need to make sure she is okay.

I come to a stop when I see the truck she was driving earlier pull over on the shoulder of the road. Whose truck is that anyways? Is it her cousin's truck she is borrowing? Or a new truck to replace her Chevy? Everyone halts behind me, listening. Bella is panting as she dials a number. I wonder whom it is she is calling. The pack, my family, and I stand behind the cover of trees.

The person she calls answers after two rings. "Hey, Bella Bear," A familiar voice, speaks into the phone cheerfully.

"Nick, they are back! The Cullen's and the Quileute guys are back! I saw them." Bella sounds panicked. Why does she sound panicked?

"They are? Did they hurt you? Where were they?" Nick fire off questions rapidly. This must be her cousin, right? I remember that voice from when I had a brief run in back when he said Bella hurt herself in the kitchen. And hurt Bella? We would never!

"No, no they didn't touch or hurt me. I didn't let him." Her heart starts beating fast. Oh, how I just want to go up to her truck and sit in there with her and cradle her face in my hands and kiss her. "I-I can't see him right now, Nick. It hurts too much." I can hear her shifting in her seat and a sniffle. "Something weird happened. It burned when I was near him." Bella grows quiet as the sniffling continues.

Burned? Sam thinks just as Carlisle thinks, What is she talking about?

I begin wondering the same thing. What burns?

"That's strange. I don't know why it would. You need to get back home as soon as you can. We need to figure this out. How soon can you get here?"

"I can be there in ten," she tells him.

"Good. I'll see you then."

Someone from the pack begins thinking about Bella. They are impressed with how "hot" she turned out since they left. I let out a low growl in their direction and their thoughts immediately stop. When I looked back at Bella, I notice her head snap up and look around franticly. She quickly starts her car again and speeds off down the road.

Did she hear Edward growl? Jacob thinks to himself. Impossible. She had to have just been paranoid.

 **Bella's POV**

Racing out of La Push, I hope Charlie isn't on the road. I don't need to have him pull me over. He would be very pissed if he saw how fast I am going. 100 miles per hour. Even though he now knows about witches, he still wants to look out for me. He knows I can heal myself but still, he wants me to be careful. I am willing to do that for him. At least, when I'm around him. What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?

I pull up in front of my house and cut the engine. I hurriedly walk up the steps and into the house. I lock the door behind me and slid down the wall, hugging my knees. They are back. Why are they back now? I haven't heard from them for a while. They haven't tried contacting me. But then again, I am no better. I didn't try and contact them either. Tears fill up in my eyes and threaten to spill over. They can't be back, not now. I bang my head against the wall.

Shoes come into my line of view and I look up. Stefan is standing there with his hand out. I take it gratefully and stand up. Claire envelopes me in her arms and holds me close. "It's okay. We'll be here to protect you." She whispers as she runs her hand up and down my back in a soothing manner.

Nick walks into the room and pulls me from Claire's arms. I can't help but bury my face into his chest and sniffle. "We've got you, Bella Bear. They don't know you're living here, so we are safe for now. They won't come looking for you."

I nod my head into his chest. I wipe my eyes and run a hand through my hair nervously. Taking a step back, I glance at Nick. "Sorry, it's just… they caught me off guard. They were at Leah's talking to Seth when we got there. Oh, god! Leah's clothes are still in the trunk!" I facepalm myself for being stupid enough to run off without leaving Leah her new clothes.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Leah can come get them tomorrow." Nicole says as she comes into the foyer. The other's file in behind her, smiling apologetically at me.

Feeling defeated, I just nod. "Guys, it burned." I look down at my shaking hands. "My tattoo burned." I squeeze my eyes tight remembering the pain I felt.

"When you were around Edward?" Braden questions quietly.

"Y-Yeah. t was so difficult. I had to fight the urge to…" I trail off as I begin to tear up. Before I could continue, the room becomes fuzzy. My head starts spinning. My knees give out, causing me to collapse to my knees. Someone catches me in their arms before I can make contact with the ground. "Bella? Bella, can you hear me?" The voice gets further away as a vision invades my mind.

"Good morning, students!" Mr. Greene, the principal addresses. "Thank you all for coming to this last minute assembly before classes start. This is Mr. Coleman." Mr. Greene is saying to the group as he motions to a Native American man. "He's the principal at the La Push high school. The school down on the reservation caught on fire late last night."

I mentally note the door open behind me and see, surprisingly, Alice and Edward walk through the door, and take a seat in the seats next to Mike Newton. Edward throws a look at me, and I can see the obvious sadness in his eyes. I studiously ignore him, and try to pay attention to what Mr. Greene is saying. "And because of the lack of High Schools in this area, we will be hosting the children of the La Push high school here until the end of the year. Hopefully with this last month of school left and the summer, they will be able to repair the school." He says, finally catching my attention. La Push students are coming here? "There will be students added into your classes, and some classes will be joined together to allow room for them."

Everyone begins looking around the room now, trying to spot the new kids.

"Let's bring them in shall we?" Mr. Greene inquires into the microphone, motioning to the double doors. Mr. Coleman goes to the doors and opens them. The La Push students file in one by one, all looking curious yet, frightened somehow. I suppose it has something to do with a new school. I see Jacob and his friends coming up the back of the line. Jacob scans the crowd and finds me. He smiles sadly at me before he waves. I ignore him just like I had Edward. I don't miss the look Edward and Jacob share though.

I jerk forward, panting, as I come out of this vision. What the hell did I just witness? I look around the room and see everyone standing there, just staring at me. Nick seems to be a bit happy. "Bella, you just witnessed your first vision ever. You saw into the future. Don't worry, though. It will get easier. You won't collapse like you did just now." Nick smiles wide.

I smile softly to myself. Me? See the future. That's pretty cool. Now I know how Alice feels. I open up my mind and replay my vision in my thoughts for everyone to witness. This way, they can help me figure out what I saw.

"Okay, so it looks like the Quileutes aren't going to be going to school on the reservation anymore. I think they are going to sabotage their school somehow, so they can go to Forks high. It seems as though the pack and the Cullen's want to keep an eye on you. The Cullen's probably enlisted the pack's help when they realized Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie cannot go to school because they graduated." Drew says as he looks over at me.

"Well, if that's the case, I won't be leaving Bella alone at school to defend herself from them. I don't know about you, but I'll be going to school with Bella so she's not by her lonesome when they decide to approach her." Claire states.

"I have to agree," Rayne says. "I'll be going too." I smile gratefully at them.

"Then it's settled. We'll go back to school with Bella. We all stopped aging between seventeen and nineteen. It will be easy to pass as high school students again and fake our transcripts. Ain't that right, Ryan?" Nick questions.

Grinning brightly, Ryan heads towards the stairs. He calls out, "No doubt about it. I'll be able to take care of the transcripts. It is my specialty anyway. I'll be in my room if you need me."

"Now, we just need to come up with a plan. And you'll need a backstory in case people ask," I mention as gesture towards the dinning room. Looks like we are in for a long night of planning.


	16. Chapter 16

_Heey guys! Sorry I disappeared again. I totally spaced final exams when I started writing again and had to focus on those for a bit. Then when they were finished, I went out and adopted a dog. He's so cute and gets along great with our other furbaby. They are currently passed out on the edge of the couch I'm on. Haha._

 _Anyway, here's a new chapter since I finally had a day off where I wasn't running around. More should be coming tomorrow!_

 _-KarleighAnn._

* * *

Chapter 16)

 **Edward's POV**

After seeing Bella take off, most of the initial shock wears off. As we split off to go home, I keep thinking to myself. I know I have to go see her. I have to make things right. I cannot have her mad at us again. She is in so much pain. I can tell from the way she was holding herself. "I will meet you at home. I am going to Bella's!" I yell as I break off from my family who are heading home. Flying through the forest, I reach Charlie's house in no time. I am happy to be able to be near it again. Being away for this long definitely sucks. I feel whole again being close to her.

My steps falter when I realize I cannot get a whiff of her scent. I hastily scale up the side of her house and open her window. I slide inside. Her scent in her room is weeks old. But, I could smell Charlie's scent. His scent was a few hours old because he must be at work. What? So this means she actually does not live here anymore? Needing to have actual proof, I start rummaging through her stuff. Only to find all of her stuff gone. Where is she living now? Bella, how will I come see you?

A cool breeze slips through the open window as I sit on Bella's bed. I pick up an unfamiliar scent as it blows against my face. I growl, quite loudly. Who could this scent belong to? It is a day old, maybe two. It seems like it visits a lot. It is not a vampire, that is for sure. So it must be a human's scent. But it smells too different to be a human's scent. I cannot quite place it.

A car engine cuts off out front and I know that it is Charlie's cruiser. I wait until I hear Charlie get out of the cruiser and head inside before I slip out Bella's window. Heading straight into the woods, I have to head home to tell my family that everything Seth has been telling us is the truth. Not some cruel joke.

 **~*Destiny*~**

When I arrive home, Alice already has the family at the dining room table. Or as Carlisle likes to call it, the meeting table. _I already called the pack. They are on their way over._ Alice thinks to me as I stand in the corner thinking.

"Thanks," I mumble.

Ten minutes later, the pack shows up and knocks on the door. Esme lets them inside before going back to the kitchen to finish cooking. I wait a few minutes for her to finish up and bring in refreshments for the wolves before starting. "There is something up. I just got back from Bella's. She was not there. Her scent was a few weeks old which is weird for someone supposed to be living there. It is like Seth said, she moved out of Charlie's house and is living with someone else. I caught a whiff of an unfamiliar scent, so I believe that we need to watch over her." Sighing, I look at everyone hoping that will see that something is up as well.

Carlisle stands up. "How do you expect us to do that?"

Turning to face Carlisle, I say, "We can watch over her at school. Hopefully by then she will be talking with us again so we can spend the summer with her. Emmett, Rose, and Jasper cannot go to school. So that would leave only Alice and I, unless the pack comes too. Would you guys be willing to come to Forks High School?" Looking at Sam, I cannot unscramble his thoughts.

"Well, the thing is, Paul, Jared, and I are too old to go to high school. However, the rest of the pack can pass as either sophomores, juniors, or seniors. The only problem is, the elders will not like it. We will have to cause a problem to the reservation school for them to even consider any of the pack going to Forks High." Sam was thinking that he is not sure if there is anything to be done about it. That is, until Paul speaks up.

"We can set fire to the school. We can make it look accidental, you know. This way, while the tribe is fixing it, student from La Push have to go to school to finish the year. Which means the pack can go to school in Forks. I don't mind helping them build the new school since I wouldn't be able to go to Forks. Anyway, that school needs to be fixed. It looks like it's about to blow over with a gust of wind." That was the most decent idea I ever heard come out of Paul. I furrow my brows thinking hard. Could it work? Alice wouldn't know because the wolves would block her visions.

 _Let's do this! I need to watch over my little sister._ Emmett thinks loudly.

 _We need to make sure my daughter's okay. Edward, it's a great idea. Do you think Sam would allow the school to burn down for the sake of protecting Bella?_ I shrug.

 _Ugh, so this means we have to stay home while you guys occupy your time with school?_ Rosalie thinks angrily. _Maybe I can think of a way to go back. Maybe work in the nurse's office. No, no. There will be blood there. Maybe I can take over Mrs. Cope's job? She's getting old._ I tune Rose out while she tries to think of a way to go back to school.

 _Sweeeeet. Maybe I could imprint on a girl at Fork's._ Embry smirks.

"Sam? What do you think?"

Sam makes eye contact with me. "We will do it on Saturday night, that way I will have all of Sunday to get them to agree to sending La Push kids to Forks. It should work."

I nod and began drowning out the thoughts of everyone around me. With a bunch of goodbye's, the Quileutes head back home while I head up to my room. The rest of my family go to their rooms for some alone time. I plop myself on my bed and began to think about school. I hope we can sit next to each other like we always had. All our classes should be the same.

 **Bella's POV**

A few days have gone by since my run in with the pack and the Cullen's. Today is Haley and Braden's wedding day. Everyone's really excited and getting the backyard prepped for their ceremony. The priest called the other day and canceled due to his wife being hospitalized. So, Ryan decided to get certified. Surprisingly, he passed. He's currently sitting in my office preparing himself for the ceremony.

Charlie and Nick's mom are both here for the wedding, along with Seth and Leah. As soon as I got home from seeing the pack and Cullen's, I forgave Seth. I couldn't blame him. He's a loyal kid and it's no wonder why he talked to his brothers before I had a chance to find out they were back. Leah, however, is super pissed at Seth. She refused to drive Seth over here, which means he had to run here from La Push. It's not a long run, but it means his suit has the possibility of getting dirty due to it being tied around his ankles.

My coven's families are all here and helping out. They arrived yesterday and stayed in a hotel nearby. The only family that isn't here is Haley's. It's a shame that her father will not be walking her down the aisle due to her parents meeting a traumatic end when she was younger. I am happy that Braden's family treats her like she's one of their own and welcomed her with open arms. She deserves it with everything she has gone through.

I glance out the window while getting ready to see what the backyard looks like. The garden is naturally beautiful, so there isn't much to be done for decoration. White wooden folding chairs await the guests split by a petal-marked aisle way. We aren't bothering with a bride and groom's side since our friends are already like one big family. There are enough seats for the couple of other guests not in the major part of the wedding, but just here as witnesses.

As everyone finishes setting up or arriving to the house, we girls, the maid of honor and the bridesmaids, complete our finishing touches. As soon as we are done, we help Haley into her dress. After she is in it, the jobs get split up. Some work on her hair and some work on her make up. The rest worked on getting her bouquet, veil, and shoes ready. Surprisingly, I offered to help with her hair. I didn't touch the curling iron or anything. I just held the hair away from her face while Rachel and Claire did her make up.

When I hear someone coming up the stairs, I know it's about time to start the ceremony.

A knock on the door causes everyone to look up. "Is everyone decent?" My cousin asks as he enters with his eyes covered with his hand. _What a gentleman._ I'm glad I was able to perfect to the mind shield so the boys couldn't read our thoughts. It would be a shame if Bradem didn't get the whole effect.

"No, Nicky, we are all beautiful naked women right now," I say sarcastically.

He smiles brightly as he lowers his hand. When his eyes land on Haley in her beautiful white dress, he's tearing up. "Look at you! Braden is one lucky man. I'm so happy my childhood best friend found her mate. Are you ready?" He questions her.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she answers leaning down and putting on her heels.

Nick stays behind with Haley in the room while we make our way down the stairs. Once we hit the bottom, everyone pairs up. I watch as Braden and Ryan made their way to the front before a soft melody begins playing. Claire and Stefan, the maid of honor and best man, walk out the back door and down the aisle to the front. Drew and Rachel lock elbows and follow behind them. Then, Zachary and Nicole behind them. I wasn't sure why Drew and Zachary didn't go together. Maybe it was to follow the role of a traditional wedding? Boy and girl walking down the aisle. Before I know it, Rayne and I lock elbows and walk down the aisle. Rayne has a gentle hold on me as we come to a stop at the front and part to our respected sides.

The soft melody comes to an end and the bride's theme song starts up. Everyone turns slightly yo watch as Nick leads Haley down the aisle. She's nervously clutching onto his arm like there is no tomorrow. I can see the happiness radiating from her eyes, though. I glance at Braden and see the tears spring in his eyes. This is a perfect moment in time.

Haley and Nick stop right before Braden. My cousin faces Haley and lifts the veil from her face and moves it over her head so it flows down her back. Then, he lifts her hand and places it into Braden's awaiting hand. Together, Braden and Haley step before Ryan while Nick moves next to Rayne. The ceremony is beautiful as they go through it and say their vows. Before long, they are saying 'I do' and placing the rings on each other's fingers.

Braden and Haley share their first kiss as husband and wife. After finishing the ceremony, we all gather inside the house to celebrate. Braden and Haley sat on the couch while everyone would go up to say their congratulations. We took a little time for the cake and wedding gifts. Overall, it was a great day.

Around eight o'clock, everyone's family begin going back to their hotel rooms. Braden and Haley head to their rooms to change into different clothes. They decided they are going to spend a few days in Ireland for their honeymoon. When they get into the truck to head to the airport, we all wave goodbye before heading inside to clean up from the wedding mess.

 **~*Destiny*~**

A nudge to my ribs makes me jerk awake to see Claire's smiling face. I groan and pull my pillow over my head. "Aw, come on, Bella. Get up," She whines. "The news is on. And I think this is something you'll want to see." I peek at her from under my pillow to see her smirking.

Groggily, I get out of bed and put on some sweats. I wasn't about to walk around in my underwear and tank. Walking down the hall, I pass by Braden and Haley coming out of their room. "Morning." I mumble sleepily.

"Good morning," they both reply happily.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention they came home a few days ago. Today's the day when the La Push High School should catch on fire. Maybe that's why Claire wants me to watch the news? I shake my head and walk down the stairs. I find Claire, Drew, and Rachel on the couch watching the news. They're staring at the screen intently.

"This just in, the La Push firefighter squad along with Fork's firefighter squad, is battling a fire at the La Push High school," a blond haired woman reports to the camera. In the background you can see firefighters holding hoses and aiming at the burning building. The flames were so bad that it was obvious nothing would survive. "Firefighters have been on the scene for about fifteen minutes, but it looks like the fire may be the winner. No one is sure how this has started. Many of us are wondering, where will the students of La Push go now for their education?"

I roll my eyes. Of course the fire would happen. I've seen the outcome. This just means I will see them at school tomorrow. I pick up the remote and change the channel. "What fools," I huff while shaking my head.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17)

The next day came way too fast for my liking. Today is the day where we are going to be going to school with the pack and Cullens. It will be my first time seeing them since they came back. The coven is excited to be going back to school. They haven't been in a few years. Now going to school allows them to have something to do with all their free time.

My brothers' and sisters' schedules were hacked late last night before everyone went to bed. Rayne and Nick had it so their schedules matched mine exactly. The triplets had their schedules matching and made sure to share gym and lunch with Rayne, Nick, and I. Braden, Haley, Claire, and Stefan had the same schedule as each other along with English, shared with Rayne, Nick and I. They also had lunch with the rest of us. Drew and Zachary only shared lunch with everyone. They wanted to make sure I was never left alone. For which, I am grateful.

I shake my head as I try to focus back on fixing my hair. I brush my hair out and added a few curls with Claire's curling iron. After putting the iron down, I face the mirror and apply some light make up. I was never a fan of make up, but being around the girls has changed my perspective. I can still add a little flare without going over the top. After a little of eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara, I smile to myself while I head to my bedroom to get changed.

I grab a button up blouse out of my closet. It wasn't too tight or too loose which, but it hugs my chest perfectly. Honestly, it makes my boobs look great, which Claire insists will be a plus today. The navy blue colored blouse goes well with my ivory skin color. The thin belt across my stomach matches my black skinny jeans. I look myself over in my mirror.

Alice would be so proud of me. After I had become a witch, my fashion sense got a whole lot better with the girls by my side. They allowed me to pick what I was comfortable with and never forced certain clothing items onto me, like Alice would do sometimes. Because I spend a lot of time with the girls, I no longer wear sweat pants, hoodies, or T-shirts. A lot of what I wear is designer now, which shocked even myself. I never in my life wanted to wear any of that until now. A knock on my door takes me out of my thoughts. "Bells? Are you coming? We are going to be late to school. Time is ticking." Nick speaks through my closed door.

"I'm coming!" I yell while I slip my high heels on. Again, another shocker. Since my balance issues stop and I became more coordinated, I felt the want of wearing high heel shoes. And I'm glad the girls insisted on getting me a couple pairs a couple weeks back. I throw my backpack over my shoulder and make my way downstairs and into to our garage.

Yesterday, we decided we are going to be taking two vehicles to school. Both of them being the two Range Rovers we own. For the first day we chose to have all the girls drive in one vehicle while the boys drive in another. Then after today, the couples can pair up in whatever vehicle they choose. Starting the truck, I back out of the garage and wait until the guys are ready. Putting the truck into drive, I lead the way to school.

 **~*Destiny*~**

 _Oh, God! School is only a few minutes up the road. Am I even ready to interact with them?_ My heart starts to race as familiar signs pass by. I'm nervous which causes me to grip the steering wheel.

 _Bella, calm down._ Zach thinks to me from the truck behind us.

 _He's right Bella. You need to stay calm. It's just like a normal school day. Just ignore them, Bella. Don't worry we're here for you. I'll help you through the day if you need it._ Rayne thinks to me.

I nod to myself. I can do this. Just a normal day at school while my brothers and sisters joining me. _Okay. I can do this._ I thought as we pulled up to a red light. One more traffic light and we are at school.

All eyes turn to the two Range Rovers as we pull into the parking lot. Many people stand from the picnic tables or get onto their tiptoes trying to see over other people. A couple people start squinting, hoping they would be able to see through the tinted windows. I laugh to myself. Of course the people of Forks would stare at these expensive trucks. Everyone else's vehicles here are hand me downs or very old vehicles. Nothing ever this expensive, except the Cullen's. At this point, they are probably wondering who are in these trucks.

 _The Cullen's and pack aren't here yet, but they should be arriving soon. Why don't Nick and Rayne take Bella and head to their lockers? We can meet up at the office for our schedules,_ Stefan inquires as Nick parks his truck.

 _Hmm, that's a good idea. That way Bella doesn't have to run into them right away_ , Nick agrees and shuts off the engine to his Rover.

I pull into the spot next to them. _Wait, I have a better idea. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to handle seeing them again. I just wasn't prepared last time. I am ready now. You guys can go ahead while I stay back. I'll need a minute to compose myself, but I really want to make an impression on the Cullen's and pack when they finally arrive. I want them to see that I am not the weak little Bella that will run right into their awaiting arms and that I'm stronger. I want to show them that them leaving changed me."_ I smirk as I run my hand over the dashboard. I bring my hand to the ignition and turn the key to the off position.

Nick sighs. _I can't really stop you. So, okay. Just be careful, please?_

 _Of course I'll be careful,_ I reply.

My brothers and sisters step out of the trucks, which causes people to gasp. People are obviously surprised at the amount of new kids. I can only imagine their thoughts. I notice a few girls go up to my brothers and try to flirt with them as they head inside. I can't help but laugh as I watch them fail, especially Lauren.

I don't forget about the curious gazes that make their way back to my driver side door. Most likely wondering who the driver is and why they haven't gotten out yet. I watch as my coven members walk through the double doors. I wish they didn't need to keep up with the pretense of being new. They already know their schedules. But we can't let there be any suspicions about what we are.

A familiar Volvo and Rabbit pull into the parking lot which causes my breath to catch in my throat. I quickly let it out as I clear my mind. When they get out of the car, I see them look over at the Range Rover's with puzzled looks. It's obvious people's thoughts are focused on the Rovers but their eyes follow the Cullen's. And they can hear my heartbeat, so they are aware someone is sitting in here. I know they can't see through the tinted windows, which must frustrate them to no end.

 _Show time,_ I think to my brothers and sisters.

Taking the keys out of the ignition, I place them on the middle console as I adjust my breasts. I opened the door slowly and step out. I notice everyone was focused on the Cullen's and La Push boys arriving, so I circle my keys around on my finger before tossing them up in the air to make them jingle. That seems to catch everyone's attention and people turn their heads to look at me. I hit the lock button on the keys and the Range Rover beeps once telling me it had locked. A few students stare wide-eyed probably wondering if I, Bella Swan the girl who changed so much, really own one of these.

I begin to walk to the main building, which is in the same direction where the Cullen's are parked. Jacob steps out of the Rabbit to stand beside Edward and is now looking at me. He turns his head to ask Edward a question but still keeps his eyes locked on me. I feel the stares from everyone in the parking lot. I am used to it by now, I mean the whole school was staring at me when my appearance first changed.

The pack stand there with their mouths open in shock. The Cullen's eyes seem to be widened. It seems they still aren't over my appearance. I let out a small giggle and see from the corner of my eye that Edward's mouth twitches into a slight smile. Alice looks me up and down obviously approving my outfit. The wind blows my curled hair as I walk into the building. I make it to my locker before I let out a heavy sigh.

"Attention, Forks High Students. There is a last minute emergency assembly being held right after homeroom dismisses. Please go right to the gymnasium when the bell rings," I hear the icy voice of Rosalie say. I blink a couple of times and look around for my coven. Does this mean they found out how to involve Emmett, Rose, and Jasper into school? I groan to myself. Great, just great.

I see Claire before she sees me. When we lock eyes, she grabs everyone's attention and brings them over to me. "So, um, Rosalie Cullen is now in the main office. She is shadowing the lady named Mrs. Cope. We just found out through a few kids gossiping," Claire informs me as she rubs the back of her neck. Fantastic.

"I wonder if that means Jasper and Emmett are here too?" I wonder out loud to myself. "Oh, well, let's head to the office to get your schedules," I say to everyone.

I walk beside Rayne and Nick as we head to the office. I laugh at one of Rayne's jokes as we open the door. My laughter dies as I am locked into a heated stare with Rosalie Hale. I force a smile to my face as I stride up to the desk. "Hi, my cousin and his friends would like to get their schedules."

Rosalie nods and looks away breaking our stare. Nick rattles off everyone's names as she pulls the schedules out. Once we grab them, we head out of the room and towards our lockers.

After everyone stops at their new lockers, we split off to our homerooms. Rayne, Nick, Claire, Stefan, and I have the same homeroom while the triplets, Braden, Haley, Drew, and Zachary share a different homeroom together.

I am thankful my homeroom teacher is Mrs. Nolan because she likes to make her classroom childish. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be treated like a preschooler, but I like the fact our tables are put into groups of five. It was the perfect amount of seats for the few of my coven members that share homeroom with me.

I stiffen in my seat when I smell the scent of a vampire. Nick and I both look up when Edward strolls through the door. He scans the room before moving eyes to me. A painful expression overtakes his features when he realizes I didn't leave a seat open for him. As he turns away to search for another seat, I smile victoriously.

Mrs. Nolan comes into the classroom as the final bell for homeroom rings. "Good morning, my junior class!" I hear Rayne groan at the cheerfulness in her voice.

 _Just great. Exactly what we needed as a teacher. A preschool teacher wannabe._ Rayne complains to all of us. I could hear the muffled laughter of my brothers and sisters in Mr. Mason's homeroom.

 _Oh! He's my English teacher Mr. Mason is really nice guys._ I tell them.

 _Good to know._ Ryan thinks sourly. _There aren't any cute girls in this homeroom,_ he complains more to himself than to us.

"Let's start off class with taking role. I know I have a few new kids in here," Mrs. Nolan states as she takes out a piece of paper. "Nick Barrett?"

"Here," Nick mumbles.

"Stefan Caverly?"

"Here."

"Edward Cullen?"

There was a moment of silence before he answers, "Present."

Mrs. Nolan continues taking role. When she gets to me she had to repeat my name twice because I'm distracted by doodling in my notebook. "Here," I respond lamely. I turn my attention back to doodling while she finishes taking role.

"Mrs. Nolan, do you know what the last minute assembly is about?" Lauren asks in her nasally voice causing me to cringe.

"No, I just found out when you guys did this morning. It's probably nothing too major," she assures.

I roll my eyes. Little did she know, it is major. A whole school will be merging with ours. Instead of our normal three hundred and sixty-eight students, we will now have closer to six hundred students roaming the halls.

"You guys are welcome to have some free time before we have to go to the assembly. You may have your phones out as long as they are not obnoxiously loud. I have some work to do," she announces as she sits behind her desk.

Nick pulls out a deck of cards and grin. "Anyone up for a game of blackjack?"

Leaning forward, I reach for the deck and smirk. "Hell yeah! I'll deal because we both know you are a cheat." Snatching the deck of cards out of his hands, I begin shuffling them fast. "Are you guys joining, too?" I asked Rayne, Stefan, and Claire. They nod eagerly. I distribute two cards to everyone just as an announcement comes on.

"Teachers, instead of there being a bell, we will be dismissing classes to the gym by grades. This first announcement is for the senior class teachers. Please gather your students and make your way to the gymnasium. Thank you."

We get through a couple rounds when the announcer gets back on. "This announcement is for the junior class teachers. Please gather your students and make your way to the gymnasium."

Mrs. Nolan stands up and puts her laptop away. "Alright, students. You heard the boss. Let's go."

A bunch of people groan including myself. I gather the cards from my brothers and sister and put them away. Picking up my backpack, I stand by the door. Within a few minutes, Mrs. Nolan had us walking down the hallway towards the gym. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Edward slip away from the group and walk towards the exit to the parking lot.


	18. Update

I haven't abondoned you guys! I swear!

Since I'm out for the summer and I'm trying for a management position at work, I've been getting crazy hours! I'm averaging 46 hours a week so I don't have much time to sit and relax or write. I have a couple days off coming up so I plan on getting some  
writing done. Hang in there a little longer!

Much love,  
KarleighAnn


	19. I am still here

Guys I am in a really bad place right now. I swear I haven't intentionallyleft for no reason. When I'm ready and able to talk about it, I will update within the next week/week and a half. Please, please bear with me.

-KarleighAnn


	20. I Promised I Would Explain

It's been longer than what I had said, but this last month has been the hardest for me. Well, more like this last half a year has been pretty hard. It all started with hurting my hand. That definitely threw me for a loop. I hadn't planned for that and there I was trying to work, go to school, and write. As soon as I was healing and going places in work, my dads fiancé passed away. Being there for my dad was my number one priority. I knew just how much he loved her. I needed to be his rock.

After coming back, I was settling back into work and school. I admit, I had a couple months where I could have been writing, but I was in a funk. I knew what I wanted to write, but I just didn't have the will to write it. Began to have some health problems. Come to find out, my boyfriend and I had a miscarriage. We had no clue. There were no signs. Just gone. Trying to go on with life as normal, we went on vacation with some friends to relieve some stress.

Finally starting to get back to normal life, as normal as it could be, I finally let some of my family know about the miscarriage and was fighting a war with myself on whether or not to tell my dad. I make up my mind and decide I was gonna call him on my next day off to talk to him. Before I can even get my day off, I get the dreaded phone call. My dad passed away. I was at work when I found out and lost it. That day is still a blur to me. I still don't know how I got myself home or how long I sat staring at the wall before finally getting my plane tickets. I was so numb and confused. I had no clue what was happening and why it was happening. But finally I was home with sisters. It took us a week to be able to bury our dad because they wanted an autopsy. After almost three weeks home with my family and taking care of as much as I could, I was back home. I'm taking the semester off but I'm still working full time.

It's now been a little over a month since my dad's death and I'm still not over it. I don't know if I ever will be. I have dreams with my dad in them constantly that wake me up and make me not want to close my eyes again because I'm so upset he's not really here. I'm trying to go back to my everyday life, but it is so hard since I'm not talking to him everyday through text or a phone call.

I'm working on getting back into writing and drawing to help me cope. Hopefully it will help me, but if my content isn't the same because it's been a little while and I'm probably rusty, bare with me and give me some time. It will get back to where it is supposed to be after writing for a bit more.

I appreciate every single one of you.

Much Love,

KarleighAnn


	21. Sneak Peaks!

**You guys have been amazing. Thank you all for your kind words and waiting for me. Giving myself some time has definitely helped a lot. I've slowly started to write again on my days off, but due to conflicting schedules, my Beta and I haven't been able to get together to edit things. So, until we can get the chapters edited, I won't be posting them. However, I'd like to do something for you all. Below is a sneak peaks of the unedited versions of the newest chapters.**

 **Please enjoy them as my thanks to you all.**

 **Also feel free to review with what you think is going to happen in this chapter, what you'd like to see in future chapters, etc. It would be awesome to hear this stuff and see what you all think!**

 **With Love,**

 **KarleighAnn**

 **Chapter 18.**

Mr. Jefferson continues on with attendance. When he gets to me, I smile and tell him I am here. After he finishes, he hands out the class syllabus and the supply list. I read over the supply list, I realize I already have everything needed on this list. Good, no more shopping needed. At least, for now. Not sure for my other classes. "Bella?" I hear Mr. Jefferson call.

I look up and ask, "Yes, sir?"

"It looks like I do not have enough textbooks for this class. I am seven short. Do you mind taking a classmate and going to the library? Just tell Mrs. Gordon that I sent you for me."

I stand up. I glance around the room and see a look of hope across Edward's face. Is it possible he thinks I want to talk to him, so I'll pick him. Not likely. "Of course, Mr. Jefferson, I can do that. I'll take Rayne Parker with me." Hurt flashes across Edward's face as Rayne stands up next to me and motions for me to head to the door. I stop by Mr. Jefferson's desk to grab a hall pass and take Rayne to the library.

Once we are down the hallway, away from our classroom, we both burst out laughing. "Did you see the look on his face?" Rayne asks in between his laughter.

"Yeah, priceless!" I cover my mouth and laugh into my hand as I walk into the library.

 **Chapter 19.**

After waiting a couple of minutes, Mrs. Gordon came back with a cart that has seven textbooks on them. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Emmett and Jared hanging by one of the bookshelves. They begin to walk over as Rayne picks up four textbooks, leaving me with three. "Thank you Mrs. Gordon. Have a nice day," I spew out in a hurry and pick up the textbooks.

With Rayne noticing my discomfort, he wishes Mrs. Gordon a small good-bye as we head for the double doors to the hallway. "Bella!" Emmett calls out making me move faster to get out of here.

"Bella, wait up!" He exclaims.

I push the doors open for Rayne and I. We get a few feet down the hallway before Emmett is in front of me. Is he stupid? Why would he use his super speed in the middle of a school day? I look around quickly, making sure no one has seen him. I sigh in relief when I find no one in the hallway. Emmett sticks his hand out to stop me when I try to go around him.

"Move," Rayne sneers as he glares at Emmett.

Emmett holds his hands out in surrender as Jared catches up to us. "Hey, I just want to talk to Bella," he defends.

"Not happening. Bella and I have to get back to class," Rayne says as he pushes us past Emmett. Biting my lip, I follow.

"Bella! Come on! Are you really going to ignore me?"

 **!~*~*~*~*~*~*~!**

Just as I walk in, I feel someone grab my shoulder. I stop short. I knew it wasn't one of my brothers or sisters comforting hands because the hand felt cold and hard through my shirt.

 _One of them is touching me,_ I think to my family.

I can hear the growls in my head from their anger. Rayne and Nick, who made it a few steps without realizing I was stopped, turn sharply and glare at the person behind me.

 _Bella, freeze the room,_ Stefan says.

"Bells, I just want to talk," I hear Emmett say.

Holding back a growl at Emmett for touching me, I concentrate on freezing the room. I close my eyes and block my thoughts for the moment being and tune out the sounds of my classmates. I work my thoughts around and wrap my family, the cullens, and the pack in a bubble. When I open my eyes again, I look around satisfied that the room is frozen except the people I pulled into my bubble. I heard running in the hallway and realized it was the rest of my family.

I can see the confusion written on their face. Stepping away from Emmett and the others, I back up to stand with Nick and Rayne. Claire, Stefan, Braden, and Haley moved from the table they saved for us and joined us. Drew and Zachary burst through the door. The others turned to look in their direction. Panting, they joined us as the others watched their every move.

"We just want to talk to Bella," Alice said.

Nick was the one to speak. "I don't think so."

"Hey, man, we just want a minute with our little sister," Emmett stated as he place a hand on Nick's arm.

My eyes grew wide. _Wrong move, Emmett._ Within a split second, Nick launches Emmett flying backwards. Rayne is smirking beside me. Emmett lets out a growl as he lands on his feet in a crouched position. "What the fuck are you?"

 **Chapter 20.**

I notice the pack looking at Drew and Zachary with raised eyebrows and smirks. _If only I could tell what they are thinking._

 _You can, Bella. Remember, there is a spell._

Concentrating, I think the small spell to myself. _To seek the truth, and not to find. Heed these words, within my rhyme. I hear the thoughts within your mind; I shall hear them now within my mind._ I glance over at the pack and listen intently.

 _So, we have some homos in town. Interesting,_ Paul thinks to himself.

 _How can they stand it? It's supposed to be a male and a female. Not… Not this,_ Jared thinks quietly.

 _I'm so happy they are together. They are so cute together,_ I hear Leah remark. I smile softly at her kind thoughts. She got to know them and wasn't quick to judge.

I focus in on Jacob and his horrified face. _Oh, God. These two guys are together together, I can just tell. It's just wrong to see gay people together. I think I might hurl._

"If you guys don't stop thinking horrid thoughts, I will end you. Not you though, Leah. Thank you." Leah and I make eye contact and smile at one another.

I hear shocked gasps come from the pack and Cullen's.

 _Thoughts?_ I hear Edward ponder to himself.

 _Watch my thoughts? No way!_ Paul thinks.

Turning on my heel, I finish gathering my lunch and pay. I head to an empty table with my family beside me. "You guys better hurry and buy lunch. Looks like they are about to close it for the period." I watch as the pack scurries to get food while the Cullen's casually walk. I turn my attention to my family and talk about their first day of school so far.

 **!~*~*~*~*~*~*~!**

Paul quickly rebounds with his ball, throwing it directly at me. I let out a quiet squeak as I bring the ball up and block it. It bounces off my ball and Leah catches it. "Paul, you're out!" Emmett calls.

"Hey! That's not fair!" He exclaims.

"It never touched the ground when Leah caught it, so it counts. It bounced off another ball is all."

Paul grumbles but moves off the court. I toss my ball next and get Lauren out. She whines about breaking her nail, but quickly gets off when she sees more balls flying. Alice throws her ball and hits Mike. But as she's distracted, Nick uses the chance to get her out. Alice grumbles, but complies. After a few minutes of dodging balls, Ryan, Leah and I finally have balls while Nick is waiting for one to be thrown at him. Rachel and Nicole got out trying to dodge. It seems like Seth just gave him what he wished for as a ball comes flying out of Seth's hands. Nick easily catches it, which brings Rayne back into the game.

With Edward, Jacob, and Jared left, we have the advantage of an extra player. Its Leah, Nick, Rayne and I left. They have an extra ball by their feet, so we have to be careful. I'm surprised when Jacob kicks it over to use. I realize a moment too late it's a trap as Leah leans for it and Jacob extends his arm. He pegs the ball at Leah, hitting her hard in the shoulder. I wince as I hear a small crack. _Jacob you fool._ I can feel the anger rolling off of Leah.

"Leah, go, honey. Go through the dressing room."

Nodding, she runs to the girl's dressing room. I glare at Jacob for the mistake he just made. All he does is laugh. "Bella, you look adorable when you have your angry face on."

His taunting just makes me angrier. Nick, however, throws his ball the same time Rayne does. Distracted by my anger, Jared gets hit in the stomach by Rayne's Ball. The ball that Nick threw, was caught by Jacob. Nick hurries off the court leaving Rayne and I. Jacob called Tyler back. Rayne faces me and whispers about taking Tyler back out. I nod. But as soon as Tyler gets back in, he picks up a ball and chucks it. Surprising both Rayne and I as he gets Rayne out. Quickly, I throw it at Tyler and hit his leg.

Now it's just me versus Edward and Jacob. And of course, I have no balls on my side. I turn on my doe eyes and hit Edward hard with the look. He sighs and rolls me the ball that was in his hands. "I want a fair game. It's the only reason why you are getting on." He says. Everyone knew better, which made me smirk. He leans and grabs a ball by his feet. As I pick up the ball he rolled to me, I start feeling dizzy. I take a step back as my tattoo flares again. I wince in pain. "Bella?" Edward asks in confusion.

Jacob puts his hand on Edward's chest to stop him from moving. "Can't you see she's trying to distract us."

I go to take a step back again, but stumble. Falling to the ground, I hear a chorus of "Bella." Before I can hit the ground, my eyes roll back and the world goes black.

 **Chapter 21.**

"You guys can just leave. We got it from here." I hear my cousin, Nick, states.

"We're just as worried about her as you are. We want to stay," Alice says.

"Worried about her? Where were you guys for the pasties months?" Rachel sneers.

"Taking care of business!" Paul counters.

" _Business_ ," Rayne scoffs.


End file.
